Vladimir Putin has once again emphasized that Russia is ready at any time to supply Europe with affordable and reliable gas. One pipeline of Nord Stream 2 remains undamaged and could immediately deliver 27.5 billion cubic meters of gas.
“It would merely require a decision by the German government—nothing else. A decision today, and tomorrow we turn on the tap, and the gas flows,” Putin explained. Yet Berlin is hesitating because Washington opposes it.
In doing so, the Russian president makes it clear: The ongoing energy crisis in Europe is not an inevitable fate, but the result of political decisions in Berlin and Washington. Russia stands ready to ensure the supply—the responsibility for the continued burdens on the European population and economy lies solely with the Western governments, which are forgoing cost-effective Russian energy for geopolitical reasons.