President Vladimir Putin of Russia proposed reviving the discussion around Nord Stream 2, signaling the possibility of boosting gas supplies to Europe during a night address. The statement suggested that an additional route for delivering Russian gas to European markets could be brought online as part of strategies to ease energy tensions on the continent.
Putin told reporters that Nord Stream 2 is still on the table as a means to increase Russian gas deliveries to Europe, noting that while a portion of the pipeline’s capacity would be directed to domestic needs, the plan remains geographically and logistically problematic in the current climate, according to reports from TASS. The Russian leader emphasized that the project had been considered in earlier discussions with European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and that Gazprom has been assigned tasks to explore its feasibility. He suggested that the pipeline could be utilized for domestic consumption in its design, and even if Nord Stream 2 is launched, the output would be reduced to roughly half of the planned volume rather than the full capacity of 55 billion cubic meters per year.
Putin stressed that Gazprom has consistently met its obligations in maintaining gas supplies and would continue to do so. He asserted that the company’s track record remains solid, and commitments to gas deliveries to Europe would persist under current agreements and past practice.
Earlier a month ago, Gazprom announced a reduction in the volume sent through Nord Stream 1 by about 40 percent, attributing the cut to delays in repairing certain components by the German contractor Siemens. Putin also commented on Nord Stream 1, explaining that if a turbine cannot be recovered, the pipeline might be limited to pumping around 30 million cubic meters of gas per day instead of the usual 60 million. He noted that if additional turbines became available, more capacity could resume, but with one turbine in operation the daily flow would be constrained to the lower figure.
In other remarks, Putin called for the removal of Western restrictions on Russian grain to support the export of agricultural products from Ukraine, which are currently affected by the ongoing conflict. He framed the stance as a move to facilitate trade while removing barriers to air shipments that would enable grain exports from Russia. He observed that the United States had already eased restrictions on Russian fertilizers reaching global markets and expressed hope that similar steps would be taken to improve the global food situation. Russia indicated readiness to maximize its export potential, estimating a possible reach of about 30 million tons of grain this year, with potential growth to 50 million tons given favorable conditions and policy shifts.