The European Commission (EC) offered assurances on Friday that Western sanctions against Russia will not prevent the Siemens Energy turbine from being sent to Moscow, as it is necessary to increase the capacity of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, which carries Russian gas to Germany and which currently operates at reduced capacity, EFE reports.

“There is nothing in the sanctions to prohibit the Siemens turbine from reaching Russia. Anything else that will be said on this subject is simply incorrect,” European Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said at a press conference.

The Community Executive’s reaction comes after representatives of the Russian giant Gazprom said this week that Western sanctions make it impossible for the turbine to reach the Portovaya compressor station of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, which continues to operate at only 20% of capacity, according to Agerpres.

“It’s just an excuse,” added the EC spokesman, who recalled that Brussels has repeatedly accused Russia of “blackmailing with gas.”

The Commission claims that “the sanctions do not affect the goods or technologies related to the industry or the transport of natural gas in the EU” and that “Nord Stream is not subject to any sanctions”, said the spokesperson for Competition, Arianna Podesta.

The Community Executive thus complements the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, who this week visited the Siemens Energy factory in Muhlheim (western Germany), where the turbine is located, and assured that it “is ready to be transported”.

Gazprom completely suspended gas supplies for ten days in July, arguing that maintenance work was needed and that a turbine was missing.

The supplies were resumed, but only at 20% of the gas pipeline’s capacity, and Moscow insists on arguing through “technical problems”, writes EFE.