Russia will cut Finland’s gas supplies in the days following Helsinki’s accession to NATO as the payment rush intensifies
Russia has cut off Finland’s gas supplies after Helsinki decided to join NATO in the latest energy payment dispute with the West.
The gas company Gazprom announced that it had stopped exporting altogether Finland today at 4.00, and the Finnish state gas wholesaler Gasum confirmed the move on Friday.
It followed Russia decision to suspend power supplies Finland last week.
Russia has continued to supply gas to the West despite suffering sanctions since its invasion of Ukraine.
i is also revealed Britain has imported £ 400 million Russian diesel after the occupation of Ukraine despite protests that the deal would fund Vladimir Putin’s military machinery.
Energy giant Gazprom has demanded that European countries pay for their gas supplies in rubles due to sanctions, but Finland refuses to do so.
Most European supply contracts are paid in euros or dollars.
Last month, Russia cut off gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland after they refused to pay in rubles, the Russian currency.
The decision to cut Finland’s gas supplies will be made just three days after the Finnish and Swedish governments submitted their applications to join NATO.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg saw the measure as “a historic moment we must seize,” and Nordic membership strengthens the Alliance’s common security.
Finland, which has a common border of 810 miles and a difficult past Russiahad previously maintained a neutral stance and remained outside the Alliance.
Russia’s foreign ministry said joining NATO was a “radical change” in Finland’s foreign policy, adding that Moscow “was forced to take military technical and other countermeasures to prevent threats to national security.”
Kremlin spokesman Dimitry Peskov warned that Finland’s accession to NATO would pose a threat to Russia.
Peskov told reporters: “Finland joined the European Union’s unfriendly actions towards our country.
“This cannot fail to arouse our regret, and it is the cause of similar symmetrical reactions on our side.”
Last month, Russia’s Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, warned that “nuclear-free Baltics will no longer be talked about” if Sweden and Finland join the alliance.