“If a terrorist state can enforce such an exception to sanctions, what exceptions does it want tomorrow or the day after? This question is very dangerous,” Zelenskyy said in a video message. “And dangerous not only for Ukraine, but also for all countries of the democratic world.”
The Russian state-owned company Gazprom significantly reduced the delivery volume through Nord Stream 1 in June and referred to the missing turbine, which was in Canada for repairs. A government spokeswoman said on Monday in Berlin that the delivery of the turbine would not fall under the EU sanctions because, with good reason, they were not aimed at gas transit.
Zelenskyy said the decision to “exception sanctions” was perceived in Moscow as a “manifestation of weakness”. “That is their logic. And now there is no doubt that Russia will try not only to limit gas supplies to Europe as much as possible, but to completely stop them at the most acute moment,” said the Ukrainian president. “We have to prepare for that now, that’s being provoked now.”
Every concession is perceived by the Russian leadership as an incentive for further, stronger pressure, Zelenskyj said. “Russia has never played by the rules in the energy sector and will not do so now unless it sees strength.”
Source: Nachrichten
