(Reuters) – Russia will suspend gas supplies to Europe at the end of August for three days, Gazprom said on Friday, as European countries scramble to build up gas stocks in anticipation. next winter.

The Russian operator has announced that a maintenance operation must be carried out on the compressor of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, which supplies Europe with Russian natural gas passing under the Baltic Sea.

The pipeline will be closed from August 31 to September 2.

This closure of the gas pipeline should once again disrupt supplies to Germany, which is heavily dependent on Russian gas for its industry.

The suspension of deliveries reflects the deadlock in talks between Moscow and the European Union on energy issues, while soaring energy prices are fueling inflationary pressures and raising fears of a recession.

Germany has already had to bail out Uniper, the largest importer of Russian gas in Germany, to the tune of 15 billion euros. Uniper was particularly affected by Russia’s decision to cut deliveries, which forced it to source gas elsewhere at much higher prices.