VARNA, Bulgaria — Gazprom denied on Saturday that it has invited German utility RWE to join its South Stream pipeline.
RWE is one of the key participants in the EU-backed Nabucco pipeline, which is meant to help Europe cut its reliance on Russian gas. Moscow has been stepping up efforts to undermine the competing pipeline project.
"There is some misunderstanding. We have not invited RWE in this project. We do not have such a need," Gazprom's export chief, Alexander Medvedev, told reporters.
"The project is by principle open for other shareholders. We are ready to look if there are willing [companies] that have something to contribute, and we are ready to discuss that with our Italian and French partners. But we do not have a need."
RWE said June 12 that Gazprom had invited it to join the pipeline project.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.