Gazprom: Many European countries still buy Russian gas.

The CEO of Russia's largest gas company said that many European countries that had previously declared they had completely stopped using their fuel are still receiving deliveries.

In an interview on the state-run Rossiya-1 television channel last weekend, the head of Russia's largest gas company did not provide details on the amount of gas European countries received. He only said that the fuel was supplied through a common pipeline, "but I know that Russian gas is going to many countries that have previously stated they refuse to consume it."

Miller did not specify which European Union (EU) countries receive the Russian gas. However, he said Russia is transporting natural gas through Ukraine to Baumgarten (Austria). "This is a very large distribution center in Europe, supplying gas to countries in the region," Miller said.

He stated that under current contracts, Russia is still supplying gas to countries in Southern and Southeastern Europe. "Of course, Russian gas is still flowing to Europe. And the volume is not small. It is still being consumed by countries that previously claimed to have freed themselves from dependence on Russian gas," Miller said.

CEO of gas giant Gazprom, Aleksey Miller. Photo: AFP

In 2022, Russian gas supplies to the European market began to decline due to problems with the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and the refusal of many European countries, such as the Netherlands, Denmark, Bulgaria, and Finland, to purchase gas in rubles. In response to last year's EU sanctions, Russia demanded that countries supporting the sanctions pay for gas in rubles instead of US dollars or euros.

By reducing natural gas purchases from Russia, the EU has had to increase its liquefied natural gas (LNG) purchases. By the end of 2022, the EU was the world's largest buyer of LNG, surpassing traditional leaders such as China, Japan, and South Korea.

Last year, the US also became a major supplier of LNG to the EU. Even Russian LNG exports to the EU increased by 20%.

Earlier this year, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU was no longer dependent on Russian oil and gas. Russian gas exports to the region have also decreased by 80%.

Ha Thu (according to RT)

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