Russia continues to pump gas to Europe and adhere to the quantities laid down in contracts. Therefore, Russia is and remains a reliable supplier, a government spokesperson emphasized.
He said that after the leader of neighbouring Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenko, threatened to close gas pipelines.
Belarus is located between Russia and the European Union. An estimated one-fifth of the gas used in Europe this year was Russian and was funnelled west via Belarus.
The spokesman said Lukashenko did not pre-align his threats with the Kremlin’s views.