Media: Germany is ready to discuss the introduction of a cap on prices for Russian gas

MOSCOW, August 30 – PRIME. The German authorities have declared their readiness to discuss the introduction of a maximum price for Russian gas imports at the pan-European level, the leading Italian newspapers la Repubblica and la Stampa reported.

German Vice-Chancellor and Economics Minister Robert Habeck earlier wrote in a chat with EU energy ministers that he was ready to start discussing setting a price ceiling for Russian gas. Minister for Ecological Transition Roberto Cingolani, who read Habek’s message, called Germany’s readiness to discuss the Italian initiative “a historic result.”

German government sources say Germany’s support could help change the minds of the Netherlands, which is vehemently opposed to a ceiling on gas imports to Europe.

Cingolani, notes la Stampa, is confident that “the situation will finally change when the technical specialists from Italy will present a proposal to the Dutch on September 7, because the Netherlands is beginning to experience the effects of the crisis on its economy.” Rome expects that the initiative will be discussed at an extraordinary meeting of EU energy ministers on 9 September. The Italian proposal, according to the government of Mario Draghi, is capable of achieving a double result: to reduce the population’s energy costs and reduce payments for Russian gas supplies.

Italy has been in favor of setting a maximum price for Russian gas in Europe since spring. At the time, it was reported that the proposal was to limit the cost to 90 euros per MWh. Draghi said last week that EU leaders would discuss a price cap at the next EU summit in October while the European Commission worked on the plan.