by Steve Scherer
OTTAWA, July 9 (Reuters) – Canada will grant a sanctions waiver to return to Germany repaired Russian turbines needed for maintenance of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, Canada’s natural resources minister announced on Saturday.
The Canadian government said its decision to issue the “revocable, time-limited permit” would support “Europe’s ability to access reliable and affordable energy as it emerges from its reliance on Russian gas and oil.” .
Canada has also announced that it will extend sanctions against Russia’s energy sector to include industrial manufacturing activities.
Russian giant Gazprom has reduced the capacity of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, which links Russia to Europe, to just 40% of its usual levels, citing the delay in the delivery of equipment repaired by the German company Siemens Energy to Canada. Siemens Energy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Canada has estimated that “without a necessary supply of natural gas, the German economy will suffer very serious difficulties and the Germans themselves risk being unable to heat their homes as winter approaches”.
The German government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ukrainian Canadian Congress President Alexandra Chyczij said in a statement released on Saturday: “Our community is deeply indebted to the Canadian government’s decision to submit to Russian blackmail.”
The turbines will first be shipped to Germany before being delivered to Gazprom, a government source told Reuters earlier this week.
The Kremlin announced on Friday that it would increase gas deliveries to Europe if the turbines were returned.
Ukraine has opposed the return of the turbines by Canada, believing that a delivery of the equipment to Russia would contravene the sanctions imposed against Moscow.
(With David Shepardson Washington; French version Camille Raynaud)