Russia's Gazprom stops gas supplies to Latvia

Russian gas producer Gazprom said on Saturday it had stopped supplying gas to EU member state Latvia, accusing it of violating conditions for gas withdrawal.

"Today, Gazprom suspended its gas supplies to Latvia... due to violations of the conditions" of purchase, the company said on Telegram. It was not specified which withdrawal condition had been violated.

The move comes a day after Latvian energy firm Latvijas Gaze said it was buying gas from Russia and paying in euros rather than in rubles. 

Latvia the latest to have supply cut

In March Russian President Vladimir Putin said countries deemed unfriendly to Moscow would have to pay for gas deliveries in rubles. This was in response to a freeze on Russia's assets by foreign nations.

Russia has cut off gas supplies to Poland, Bulgaria, Finland, Netherlands and Denmark for refusing to comply with demands for payments in rubles.

The EU has faced criticism over the continued purchase of gas from Russia with concern the money raised is continuing to fund the war in Ukraine.

On Friday EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told DW that cutting dependence on Russian energy was not something that could be achieved overnight.

"It [Russian energy imports] was 40% before the war, it's now 20% ... but no one can ask European economies to cut gas supplies overnight," Borrell said. "We cannot do miracles."

The European Commission has warned that compliance with Russia's payment requirements could breach sanctions against Moscow.

Earlier this week Gazprom throttled supply of gas to Europe via the Nord Stream pipeline by around 20% of capacity.

EU states have accused Russia of choking supplies as a retaliatory measure for the West's sanctions against Moscow.

kb/sri (AFP, Reuters)