Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei denies a Reuters report about the arrival of an Iranian negotiating delegation to the Sultanate of Oman
Iran Mission to UN: Iran shall respond to any threat with a counter-threat and to any action with reciprocal measures
Iran Mission to UN: Iran does not negotiate under duress, shall not accept peace under duress, and certainly not with a has-been warmonger clinging to relevance
iran Mission to UN: No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House
Iran Mission to UN: The only thing more despicable than his lies is his cowardly threat to “take out” Iran’s Supreme Leader
Iranian media reports: Israeli bombing targets Iranian Red Crescent building in Tehran
Trump: Unconditional surrender means I've had it
Trump: Nothing is too late
Trump: Iran should have negotiated
Trump: Iran wants to negotiate

Buying Russian gas 'unpleasant' but necessary, says Austria Chancellor

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 5 Sep 2023 12:00
  • 3 Shares
3 Min Read

The Chancellor said that Austria began reducing its dependence on Russian energy imports in 2022 and is working to increase deliveries through Germany and Italy to diversify its suppliers.

  • x
  • Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer speaks with the media as he arrives for the third EU-CELAC summit in Brussels, Belgium, July 17, 2023 (AP)
    Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer speaks with the media as he arrives for the third EU-CELAC summit in Brussels, Belgium, July 17, 2023 (AP)

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer expressed on Monday his moral discomfort with buying gas from Russia but noted that it is necessary to do so in order to ensure Austria's energy security.

"The priority number one is security of supply. If it is disrupted, the system will be disrupted and so will be the production and supply of energy to people. That is why it is, first of all, about ensuring security of energy supply. It is not pleasant. It is not pleasant from the moral standpoint, but it is real. And it is my obligation as the chancellor to do this," Nehammer told Austrian broadcaster ORF on Monday.

The chancellor added that his country began reducing its dependence on Russian energy imports in 2022 and is working to increase deliveries through Germany and Italy to diversify its suppliers.

He also said that Austrian oil and gas company OMV has supply contracts with Russian energy giant Gazprom until 2040, and that terminating them would be too costly for Austria.

In July, OMV CEO Alfred Stern said the company would continue to source most of its gas from Russia, even though it has secured alternative contracts from other sources to meet Austria's energy import needs.

Related News

European gas prices surge after Russian flow disruption: Bloomberg

$890m green energy can replace Russian gas in EU by year 2028: Report

Read more: Chinese peace proposal in Ukraine "interesting signal": Austrian FM

After the adoption of several packages of sanctions against Moscow by the West, the sanctions backfired, having detrimental effects on the world's global markets, most notably gas and oil.

European governments are now suffering the repercussions of their sanctions amid rising strikes and protests over the cost of living and pay.

On July 9, OMV announced its intention to continue buying from Gazprom, even after securing alternative contracts from other sources to fulfill Austria's import needs.

CEO Alfred Stern confirmed that OMV will continue to honor its long-term agreement with Gazprom, citing legal obligations and the potential for price increases if certain sources are eliminated.

"As long as Gazprom will supply… we will continue to take these quantities from Gazprom… There is an obligation we have as an industrial company to ensure that we use those sources as long as they are legally acceptable," Stern told the Financial Times newspaper.

Read more: Austria defies NATO pressure, maintains neutrality

  • Russian gas supplies
  • Karl Nehammer
  • Oil
  • Gazprom
  • Austria
  • Russian Gas
Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

Most Read

Iranian missiles impact Israeli sites in Tel Aviv in 2nd wave

Iran's missiles impact 'strategic' Israeli site in Tel Aviv

  • Politics
  • 14 Jun 2025
Bin Salman: Islamic world backs Iran in call to Pezeshkian

MBS says Islamic world backs Iran in call with Pezeshkian

  • MENA
  • 15 Jun 2025
Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

  • MENA
  • 17 Jun 2025
Smoke rises after an Iranian ballistic missile directly struck Tel Aviv, Occupied Palestine, June 13, 2025 (AP)

Op. True Promise 3: Iran's ballistic missiles strike Tel Aviv

  • MENA
  • 13 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A Turkish Air Force pilot gestures from the cockpit of an F-16 military fighter jet before an Air Policing exercise at the Baza 86 military air base, outside Fetesti, Romania, Wednesday, March 6, 2024 (AP)
Politics

Israeli aircraft violate Turkish airspace, fighter jets scrambled

An Israeli occupation forces armored personnel carrier maneuvers in the Gaza Strip, southern occupied Palestine, Wednesday, June 11, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Palestinian Resistance downs Israeli drone in Gaza amid extensive ops

An Israeli Hermes 450 UAV drone flies over Beirut, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Politics

Iran reports shooting down 28 types of hostile aircraft in 24 hours

Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze after a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, occupied Palestine, Monday, June 16, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran retaliatory strikes target greater Tel Aviv as injuries reported

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS