Helsinki: Russia Stopped providing natural gas to neighbors on Saturday FinlandWho has angered Moscow by applying nato membership, after the Nordic country refused to pay the supplier Gazprom in rubles.
Natural gas accounts for about eight percent of Finland’s energy consumption and much of it comes from Russia.
After the Russian invasion of February 24 UkraineMoscow has asked customers in “unfriendly countries” – including EU member states – to pay for gas in rubles, a way to bypass Western financial sanctions against its central bank.
Finnish state-owned energy company Gasam said it would meet the shortfall from other sources via the Baltic Connector pipeline, which connects Finland with Estonia, and assured that the filling stations would operate normally.
“The supply of natural gas to Finland under the gas supply contract has been discontinued,” the company said in a statement.
Gasm said on Friday that it was informed by Gazprom Export, the export arm of Russian gas giant Gazprom, that supplies would stop on Saturday morning.
In April, Gazprom Export demanded that future payments in the supply contract be made in rubles instead of euros.
Gasam rejected the demand and announced on Tuesday that it was taking the issue to arbitration.
Gazprom Export said it would defend its interests in court by any “means available”.
Gasam said it would be able to secure gas from other sources and that gas filling stations in the network area would continue “normal operation”.
In an effort to mitigate the risks of relying on Russian energy exports, the Finnish government also announced on Friday that the country has signed a 10-year lease agreement with US-based Accelerate Energy to ship an LNG (liquefied natural gas) terminal. have signed.
On Sunday, Russia suspended electricity supply to Finland overnight after its energy firm RAO Nordic claimed dues paid, though the shortfall was quickly reversed.
Finland, along with neighboring Sweden, broke its historic military non-alignment this week and applied for NATO membership, when public and political support for the coalition increased after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow has warned Finland that any application of NATO membership would be “a serious mistake with far-reaching consequences”.
Finland and Sweden are both on the fast track to join the Western Military Alliance, with US President Joe Biden offering “full, total, full support” for their bids.
But all 30 existing NATO members must agree to any new admissions, and Turkey has condemned the alleged tolerance of Kurdish militants by its Nordic neighbors and has so far voiced opposition to letting them in.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has said the Kremlin will respond to any NATO expansion by building more military bases in western Russia.
Saturday’s halt for gas shipments is a move described by the European Union as “blackmail” after Moscow cut off Poland and Bulgaria last month.
Natural gas accounts for about eight percent of Finland’s energy consumption and much of it comes from Russia.
After the Russian invasion of February 24 UkraineMoscow has asked customers in “unfriendly countries” – including EU member states – to pay for gas in rubles, a way to bypass Western financial sanctions against its central bank.
Finnish state-owned energy company Gasam said it would meet the shortfall from other sources via the Baltic Connector pipeline, which connects Finland with Estonia, and assured that the filling stations would operate normally.
“The supply of natural gas to Finland under the gas supply contract has been discontinued,” the company said in a statement.
Gasm said on Friday that it was informed by Gazprom Export, the export arm of Russian gas giant Gazprom, that supplies would stop on Saturday morning.
In April, Gazprom Export demanded that future payments in the supply contract be made in rubles instead of euros.
Gasam rejected the demand and announced on Tuesday that it was taking the issue to arbitration.
Gazprom Export said it would defend its interests in court by any “means available”.
Gasam said it would be able to secure gas from other sources and that gas filling stations in the network area would continue “normal operation”.
In an effort to mitigate the risks of relying on Russian energy exports, the Finnish government also announced on Friday that the country has signed a 10-year lease agreement with US-based Accelerate Energy to ship an LNG (liquefied natural gas) terminal. have signed.
On Sunday, Russia suspended electricity supply to Finland overnight after its energy firm RAO Nordic claimed dues paid, though the shortfall was quickly reversed.
Finland, along with neighboring Sweden, broke its historic military non-alignment this week and applied for NATO membership, when public and political support for the coalition increased after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow has warned Finland that any application of NATO membership would be “a serious mistake with far-reaching consequences”.
Finland and Sweden are both on the fast track to join the Western Military Alliance, with US President Joe Biden offering “full, total, full support” for their bids.
But all 30 existing NATO members must agree to any new admissions, and Turkey has condemned the alleged tolerance of Kurdish militants by its Nordic neighbors and has so far voiced opposition to letting them in.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has said the Kremlin will respond to any NATO expansion by building more military bases in western Russia.
Saturday’s halt for gas shipments is a move described by the European Union as “blackmail” after Moscow cut off Poland and Bulgaria last month.