Ukraine ‘deeply disappointed’ after Canada exempts Russian gas turbine from sanctions
- The turbine, which transport gas from Russia to Germany, is in Canada for repairs and was initially held back as part of sanctions imposed on Russia
- Fears are growing about gas supplies in Germany after Russian state-owned company Gazprom recently drastically reduced gas deliveries through Nord Stream 1
The Canadian government has sparked protests from Kyiv with plans to release a key turbine used to transport gas from Russia to Germany that has been in Canada for repairs and was initially held back as part of sanctions imposed on Russia.
Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson made the announcement regarding the turbine, which is used on the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline linking Russia with Germany, on Saturday.
Instead of sending the turbine, which was being overhauled at a Siemens plant in Montreal, directly to Russia as originally planned, Siemens will ship it to Germany.
After talking to its European allies, including Ukraine and Germany, “Canada will grant a time-limited and revocable permit for Siemens Canada to allow the return of the repaired Nord Stream 1 turbines to Germany,” Wilkinson tweeted.
This would support Europe’s ability to access reliable and affordable energy as it transitioned away from Russian oil and gas, he added.
He noted that otherwise the German economy would suffer “very significant hardship, and Germans themselves will be at risk of being unable to heat their homes as winter approaches”.
