(OTTAWA) The United States supports Canada in its decision to circumvent its own sanctions against Russia by sending turbines to Germany for the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline.
Posted at 11:24 a.m.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price issued a statement on Monday in support of Canada’s controversial decision to issue a “time-limited, revocable permit” for the shipment of six turbines that were stuck in the Montreal facilities of Siemens Canada.
“The United States stands united with our allies and partners in our commitment to promote European energy security, reduce our collective dependence on Russian energy, and maintain pressure on the Kremlin,” it reads. we.
“With this in mind, we support the Canadian government’s decision to return a natural gas turbine to Germany for use in the Nord Stream 1 pipeline,” adds Ned Price, arguing that this will allow Germany and other European countries to replenish their gas reserves.
European countries will thus be able to “increase their energy security and resilience and counter Russia’s efforts to militarize energy”, continues the spokesperson, assuring that Washington and its allies such as Canada are determined to support Ukraine and ensure that Russia’s economy suffers from the sanctions.
The exemption granted by Ottawa has embittered Kyiv.
“This dangerous precedent violates international solidarity, goes against the principle of the rule of law and will have only one consequence: it will reinforce Moscow’s feeling of impunity”, regretted the Ukrainian foreign ministries and Energy, Sunday.
The Ukrainian-Canadian Congress has also harshly criticized the waiver as a sign of “capitulation to Russian blackmail”, which will contribute to “the coffers of the Russian state budget continuing to be filled with European money which will be used to finance the Russian genocide against the Ukrainian people”.
Dozens of people also expressed their dissatisfaction in front of the town hall as well as in front of the Siemens Canada factory, chemin de la Côte-de-Liesse, on Sunday.
The owner and operator of the 1,200 kilometer pipeline linking Russia and Germany, Gazprom, is on Canada’s list of companies targeted by economic sanctions. The company argued that in the absence of this equipment, a reduction in volume would be inevitable – a version disputed by Kyiv.
Once the equipment arrives in Germany, Siemens Energy will ship it to Russia “as soon as possible”, a company spokeswoman told The Press. He will have to obtain an additional derogation, this time from European Union sanctions, for this shipment to Russian territory.
“Our experts are currently working tirelessly on all other formal and logistical approvals. This involves, among other things, the export and import control procedures that are required by law,” the German energy giant explained.