Gazprom rejects Poland’s ‘groundless’ accusations of limiting gas
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While Germany resells cheap Russian gas at higher prices, Poland accuses Russia of cutting off Russian gas - However, Russia's Gazprom does not concur.
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Gazprom: a Russian 'gas giant.'
This week, Poland has accused Moscow of cutting off its provision of Russian gas in the Yamal-Europe pipeline, accusing Gazprom, a Russian company that supplies energy, of “manipulation.”
Gazprom rejected these accusations, while also denouncing that Germany is reselling cheap Russian gas at high prices, resulting in a price hike in Europe.
"All accusations against Russia and Gazprom that we are not supplying enough gas to the European market are absolutely groundless and unacceptable and untrue," Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said late Saturday, dubbing the accusations "lies".
For the sixth day in a row, gas in the pipeline has been in reverse flow, sending the gas from Germany to Poland, according to public data.
On Friday, Putin rejected claims that the reverse flow is a political move, saying that Poland “sidelined” Russia in the pipeline management. The Russian president, furthermore, accused Germany of reselling cheap Russian gas at higher prices, contending that Europe’s problems are from Europe itself.
"I don't even want to talk about the price of such reverse supplies. These prices are significantly higher than the prices for contract volumes set by Gazprom,” he said in an interview on state television, continuing to say that "All problems in Western Europe have been created by themselves and there is no need to blame Gazprom for this. It is better to look in the mirror."
Europe 'needs to look in the mirror'
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the European Union can only blame its own policies for record gas prices, as some of its members resell cheap Russian gas at much higher prices within the bloc.
Putin called on the EU to agree to a novelty route for Russian gas - the Nord Stream 2 pipeline - to cut prices down.
Gas prices in Europe hit a new record on Tuesday, reaching almost 800% so far this year. Although prices decreased on Friday, it is still up over 400%.
The US, in addition to some eastern European countries, stand against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline coming into effect, contending that the line would increase Europe's dependence on Russian gas, which provides 35% of the bloc's gas demands. Germany and Belgium are yet to approve the pipeline, which was built in September.
