Putin blames Germany and West for Nord Stream 1 shutdown at economic forum

President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia would resume gas supplies to Germany through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline as soon as a key turbine was returned, and rejected Western claims that Moscow used gas as a weapon.

At an economic forum in the eastern city of Vladivostok, Putin said Germany and Western sanctions were to blame for the Nord Stream 1 pipeline not being operational and that Ukraine and Poland decided on their own to switch off other gas routes into Europe.

Europe is facing a winter fuel crisis and surging energy bills after Gazprom fully suspended gas supplied through Nord Stream 1, after it said it found an engine oil leak during maintenance work.

"Nord Steam 1 is practically closed now," Putin said as he called Germany to return a turbine for the pipeline's Portovaya compressor station that would allow Russia to resume pumping gas.

"There is an oil leak there - it's a possibly explosive situation, a fire hazard. The turbine cannot work. Give us a turbine and we will turn on Nord Stream 1 tomorrow. But they don't give us anything," he said.