Russia is prepared to resume supplying gas to Europe through the Yamal-Europe pipeline: Novak

(Reuters) -Alexander Novak, the deputy prime minister of Russia, told the state-run TASS news agency that Moscow is prepared to restart gas shipments to Europe via the Yamal-Europe Pipeline.

As long as there is a gas deficit, the European market is still relevant, and we have every chance of restarting supply, Novak was quoted as saying by TASS in comments that were made public by the agency on Sunday.

For instance, the Yamal-Europe Pipeline, which was halted due to political considerations, is still inactive.

Although the Yamal-Europe Pipeline typically travels west, it has been largely travelling east since December 2021 as Poland chose to use Germany’s gas reserves rather than purchasing from Russia.

Warsaw ended its arrangement with Russia in May after initially refusing Moscow’s demand that it make payments in roubles.

After Moscow slapped sanctions on the company that owns the Polish portion of the Yamal-Europe pipeline, Russian supplier Gazprom (GAZP.MM) responded by cutting off supply and declaring that it would no longer be allowed to export gas via Poland.

Novak reaffirmed Moscow’s discussions for further gas shipments via Turkey following the establishment of a hub there.

Moscow anticipates shipping 21 billion cubic metres (bcm) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe in 2022, he added.

We were able to dramatically enhance LNG supply to Europe this year, according to Novak. By the end of the year, 21 bcm are anticipated, up from 19.4 bcm in the first eleven months of 2022.

Novak also revealed that Russia and Azerbaijan have agreed to raise gas supply for each other’s domestic consumption in a lengthy interview with the TASS agency, portions of which have been made public over the weekend.

“We will be able to negotiate swaps in the future when they expand gas output,” he said.

According to him, Moscow is also talking about increasing gas shipments to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

In the long run, according to Novak, Russia may transmit its natural gas to the markets of Afghanistan and Pakistan by either using the Central Asian infrastructure or by exchanging gas with Iran.