https://www.wsj.com/articles/putins-natural-gas-game-toy-wit…
**Putin’s Gas Game: Toy With Europe’s Supply and Make Its Leaders Squirm**
**Kremlin weaponizes energy over Ukraine sanctions, a gambit that carries huge risks for both sides as customers race to lock in alternative sources**
**By Joe Wallace and Stephen Fidler, The Wall Street Journal, July 20, 2022**
**...**
**European countries have been nervously waiting to see if the Russian president turns the gas taps back on to the continent in coming days after a 10-day period when the main pipeline has been shut down for routine maintenance. On Tuesday, Mr. Putin said Russia would fulfill its obligations but warned that flows could be hit if sanctions prevent further maintenance from taking place.**
**Russia has been delivering natural gas to Europe at well below full capacity for months, and European leaders denounced the latest move as an effort by Mr. Putin to use Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom PJSC to keep customers guessing....**
**Analysts and traders think Putin will let gas dribble through, a strategy that would keep prices elevated, plump up revenue to fund the war and allow the Kremlin to retain its leverage....** [end quote]
Russia shut down the Nordstream pipeline for maintenance. They sent a generator to Canada for repair and claim that the sanctions are keeping them from getting the generator and other parts from being returned. Germany has been working to return the turbine to Russia after Canada earlier this month exempted the component from its sanctions.
Putin says the flow may be cut to 20% of normal. He’s toying with the Europeans. Meanwhile the Europeans are sourcing LNG for the winter.
Wendy