Putin warns EU that gas supplies could keep dwindling

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday it is the West’s own fault that the flow of Russian natural gas to European customers has dwindled and warned that it could continue ebbing. Putin’s statement on Tuesday further cranked up pressure on the European Union, which fears that Russia could cut off gas to wreak economic and political havoc in Europe in the winter. Speaking to Russian reporters in Tehran, Putin that the amount of gas pumped through the Nord Stream pipeline to Germany will fall further from 60 million to 30 million cubic meters a day, or about one fifth of its capacity, if a turbine isn’t quickly replaced.