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First modification: 06/05/2026 - 04:14

Russian President Vladimir Putin assured that Moscow is ready to immediately resume gas supplies to Germany through the Nord Stream gas pipeline. The proposal reopens the debate on European energy dependence and comes almost four years after the explosions that disabled much of the infrastructure.

Moscow claims to be prepared to restore the supply of natural gas to Germany through the Nord Stream gas pipeline, one of the most important energy infrastructures between both countries before the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. However, the president made it clear that any resumption of the flow will depend exclusively on a political decision by Berlin.

During statements offered to international journalists within the framework of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin assured that Russia maintains the technical capacity to once again export gas through one of the lines of Nord Stream 2, despite the serious damage suffered by the system after the underwater explosions recorded in September 2022.

"I'm not kidding: just press a button and the gas starts flowing. But this requires a decision from the German Government," said the Russian president, who insisted that the infrastructure that is still available could come into operation almost immediately.

Read alsoEurope needs Russian oil and gas to "survive", says a Kremlin emissary

Does Europe want Russian gas?

The statements revive a discussion that has marked European energy policy since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. For years, Germany was one of the main buyers of Russian gas and used Nord Stream as a strategic route to supply its industry and feed its energy network.

Before the conflict, much of Europe depended on hydrocarbons from Russia, a situation that changed dramatically after the imposition of Western sanctions and the progressive reduction of supplies from Moscow.

The Nord Stream system crosses the bottom of the Baltic Sea and directly connects Russian fields with German territory. Its route avoids traditional transit countries and reaches the northern coast of Germany, where it is integrated with the national gas distribution network that subsequently supplies different European markets. The infrastructure was conceived as one of the main energy arteries between Russia and the European Union (EU).

Putin maintained that Russia could supply up to 28 billion cubic meters of gas per year using available infrastructure. However, he warned that Moscow needs a clear response from the German authorities to define the future of these volumes.

"We need a clear answer from our German partners and Gazprom on whether or not they will accept that gas. Otherwise, we will sell it in other markets and to other partners," said the president.

The reference to Gazprom, the Russian state company in charge of gas production and export, underlines the economic relevance of an eventual reopening. For Moscow, recovering part of the European market would mean reactivating a source of income that has been significantly reduced since the start of the war and that today has been relegated only to its Asian partners. In 2025, China will take the place of the EU as the main trading partner.

For Germany, on the other hand, the decision would imply reassessing the convenience of acquiring Russian energy amid the geopolitical tensions that persist between Russia and the West.

Read also "This is how the US eliminated the Nord Stream gas pipelines", an investigation by Seymour Hersh

Damage to the extensive gas pipeline

The explosions that affected the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines in September 2022 completely transformed the European energy landscape.

The detonations damaged several sections of the underwater pipelines and left much of the infrastructure unusable. Berlin has since accelerated its search for alternative suppliers and increased imports of liquefied natural gas from other markets, including the United States and Gulf countries.

The investigation into who was responsible for the sabotage continues to be the subject of international controversy. Russia has repeatedly accused Ukraine of being behind the attack on the gas pipelines, while kyiv has repeatedly denied any involvement in the explosions. The investigations carried out by different European countries have not yet produced a definitive conclusion accepted by all parties.

Read alsoNord Stream 2: how is a gas pipeline capable of raising political blisters in the US, Russia and Europe?

With information from Reuters and AP.

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