Russian gas is over for Finland. From this Saturday, May 21, the branch of the gas pipeline that connects it to Russia is no longer supplied. Officially, Moscow interrupts its deliveries, because Helsinki refuses to pay for its gas in rubles. But it is also the first retaliatory measure since the Nordic country filed its application for membership of the Atlantic Alliance.
With our correspondent in northern Europe, Frederic False
After Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership, approved by almost all of the Parliament of Helsinki, Russia had promised not to remain without reaction. And the first measure of retaliation arrived this Saturday with the stoppage of the supply of Russian gas to Finland.
Moscow expresses its bad mood, but that is not likely to deter these candidates for the Atlantic Alliance. Although the gas used in Finland is essentially Russian, it represents only 3% of the energy consumed there. The Nordic country has already planned to reactivate the gas pipeline which connects it to Estonia, and to rent a floating terminal for ten years thanks to which it can be supplied by boat.
The impact will therefore be limited, as it was after the suspension of Russian electricity exports, effective for a few days. Finland has just commissioned an EPR nuclear reactor using French technology. It already allows it to no longer depend on Russia, and will even eventually make Finland an energy exporting country.
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