VIENNA (AP) — Russia’s state-owned herbal fuel corporate Gazprom stopped provides to Austria early Saturday, in keeping with the Vienna-based application OMV, after OMV mentioned it could forestall bills for the fuel following an arbitration award. The respectable cutoff of provides prior to first light Saturday got here after Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer on Friday held a rapidly known as information convention to emphasise his nation has a protected provide of other gas for this iciness.OMV mentioned it could forestall paying for Gazprom fuel to its Austrian arm to offset a 230 million-euro ($242 million) arbitration award it received from the World Chamber of Trade over an previous cutoff of fuel to its German subsidiary.The Austrian application mentioned in an e-mail that no fuel supply was once produced from 6 a.m. on Saturday. OMV mentioned Wednesday it has enough shares to offer fuel to its consumers in case of a possible disruption by way of Gazprom, and mentioned garage in Austria was once greater than 90% complete.
“As soon as once more Putin is the use of power as a weapon,” EU Fee President Ursula von der Leyen wrote in a put up on X, previously referred to as Twitter. “He is making an attempt to blackmail Austria & Europe by way of slicing fuel provides. We’re ready for this and able for the iciness.”
Russia bring to a halt maximum herbal fuel provides to Europe in 2022, mentioning disputes over cost in rubles, a transfer Ecu leaders described as power blackmail over their reinforce for Ukraine towards Russia’s invasion. Ecu governments needed to scramble to line up choice provides at upper costs, a lot of it liquefied herbal fuel introduced by way of send from the U.S. and Qatar.Austria will get the majority of its herbal fuel from Russia, up to 98% in December ultimate yr, in keeping with Power Minister Lenore Gewessler.
