If Russia wants to stop gas supplies to the European Union, "it will not wait until autumn or winter", the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, said today, quoted by France Press.

However, he added that he found a sudden supply cut unlikely. 

"If Russia wants to cut off our gas, it will not wait until autumn or winter to do it. Moscow will not allow us to fill the storages in the summer," Borrell said in an interview with Spanish public television "Te Ve E".

"Russia will do it as soon as possible so that we cannot have reserves in the winter to help us last," he added.

Borrell emphasized that Moscow's decision will depend on "multiple factors, including the development of the war in Ukraine."

Still, for Josep Borrell, an "abrupt cut" in supplies is unlikely, even though Moscow has already announced that natural gas supplies will be increased by less than expected. 

Russia wants to sell its natural gas and is looking for alternative customers, other than those in the EU, because it is aware that at some point we will give it up completely, the head of European diplomacy emphasized.

Moscow is currently in a frenzy of construction of new gas pipelines connected to other customers.

However, putting them into operation will take time, Borrell reminded.

Putin with a warning to the EU: Gas supplies may continue to decrease

In recent weeks, Russia has greatly reduced gas supplies to Europe, especially through the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, which as of yesterday was operating at only 20% of its capacity.

The explanation from the Russian side is about maintenance activities of the facility.

Europe rejects technical reasons and accuses Moscow of using gas as an economic and political weapon amid an exchange of economic blows since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In a bid to avert the risk of gas shortages in the winter, the 27 EU member states reached an agreement on Tuesday on a plan that calls for each country to do everything in its power to reduce its gas consumption by March 2023 by a minimum 15% compared to the average level for the same period for the last five years.

Until last year, Russia provided about 40% of gas supplies to the EU.

natural gas

Josep Borrell

gas supplies