Vladimir Putin threatened on Wednesday to halt gas supplies to Europe. The Kremlin leader stated that Russia could shift towards more promising markets, reports Agerpres. However, he said, a final decision has not yet been made.
“But it’s not a decision, in this case it’s what’s called thinking out loud. I will certainly order the government to work on this issue together with our companies,” said the Kremlin leader, according to Reuters.
The Russian president’s statements come in the context where the Middle East war has caused natural gas prices to rise in Europe. The world’s largest liquefied natural gas facility, located in Qatar, remains shut down, and uncertainty about its restart has raised concerns about a supply crisis.
Fears have grown about a major disruption in global oil and gas supplies, as new attacks have taken place in the Middle East. The energy infrastructure is caught in the crossfire, and the situation risks causing the most serious shock since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which upset global energy trade.