Russian energy company Gazprom is fulfilling its contracts and is under no obligation to increase supplies of natural gas to the EU, despite some politicians in Brussels accusing Moscow of using its exports as a weapon, Russia’s permanent representative to the bloc stated on Wednesday.
Speaking to Moscow news agency RIA Novosti, Vladimir Chizhov explained that, since gas prices are on the rise, Gazprom’s European customers do not want to commit to buying more gas. If there is no demand, there will be no supply, he said.
“Of course [Gazprom] is not obliged. Besides, it is already providing some extra supplies of ‘blue fuel’ to Europe, which is, apparently, still not as much as some would have preferred,” the Russian diplomat said in an interview.
“If the winter was more severe and the stores of energy were depleting quicker, then, of course, the European companies would still buy more gas, regardless of the high prices. But as for now, the winter is mild, so there’s no extra demand and consequently no extra supply.”