EU tells members to reduce gas consumption amid new Putin warning

The European Union told member states on Wednesday to cut gas usage by 15% until March as an emergency step after President Vladimir Putin warned that Russian supplies sent via the biggest pipeline to Europe could be reduced further and might even stop.

Deliveries via Nord Stream 1, which accounts for more than a third of Russian gas exports to the EU, are due to resume on Thursday after a 10-day halt for annual maintenance.

German gas network operator Gascade said on Wednesday it expects flows to resume at pre-maintenance levels based on current requests for gas.

On July 10, the last full