The pause to the gas supplies through the Nord Stream pipeline was caused not by Gazprom's own actions, but by Europe's violation of the maintenance agreements of the pipeline's equipment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained.
"If Europeans absolutely absurdly make a decision refusing to conduct maintenance of [Gazprom's] equipment, which they must service under the contract, then this is not the fault of Gazprom, it is the fault of those politicians who made the decision to impose sanctions," Peskov said.
The Kremlin spokesman lashed out at EU governments, saying that it was their fault that their own citizens are "shell-shocked" seeing current electricity bills. He pointed out that the situation will only worsen when temperatures fall.
Peskov stressed that Gazprom did nothing to undermine its reputation as a reliable supplier of energy resources, which it has been working on for decades. He stated that all the blame in the current situation lies with western states.
His words were echoed by Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, who noted that the EU and Canada, where the pipeline's turbines are being repaired by Siemens, must amend their sanctions to fulfill their contractual obligations to maintain and fix the equipment obtained by Gazprom.
"The short-sighted policy [of the West] leads to the situation where we see a collapse in the energy markets of Europe. And the worst is yet to come," Novak said.
The Nord Stream pipeline severely reduced its output over the summer due to gas-pumping turbines requiring maintenance. These turbines were undergoing maintenance in Canada, which imposed sanctions against Russia that prevented their return. Ottowa eventually released one turbine, which was shipped to Germany where it had been manufactured, but Gazprom is yet to get it back.
By the end of summer, the last remaining functioning turbine also required maintenance, forcing Gazprom to bring the pumping to a full stop. The company said that Siemens is willing to conduct repairs, but is unable to do so due to the only facility fit for the purpose being located in Canada.
Talking to West in Its Own Language
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov separately argued that Moscow must learn to communicate with the West using its own language – the language of force – in an interview for a Russian TV channel. He stated that it is not typical for Russia to handle relations with foreign countries in such a manner.
"We are not intentionally antagonizing anyone. Our country is more of an advocate for international harmony based on mutual respect, mutual benefit and respect for others' concerns," Peskov said.
He likewise lashed out at western nations' ways of doing foreign politics, describing Europe's approach as "egoistic" and accusing the US of sticking to a "Wild West mentality".