"We are working on the worst possible scenario, and that scenario, and assumption, therefore, is that Gazprom would no longer deliver any gas to Europe," Mamer told a press briefing in Brussels. "We are basing our winter preparedness plans on the worst possible scenario."
In mid-June, Gazprom announced that it could supply only 67 million cubic meters of gas to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline per day, while the initially scheduled volume was 167 million cubic meters. The company explained the reduction by the development of the overhaul cycle of gas compressor units (GCU), delays in the operation of Germany's Siemens corporation, which failed to return GCUs from repair from a Canadian plant due to Ottawa's sanctions against Russia, and technical malfunctions of engines.
The European Commission developed the REPowerEU initiative — the bloc's plan to phase out Russian energy sources and increase the use of renewable energy, as well as find other suppliers — after Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine. According to the International Energy Agency, the EU imported 155 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Russia in 2021, which accounts for 45% of the bloc's imports, and 40% of its total consumption.