Russia cutting gas supplies to Europe has long been one of the EU’s greatest fears. This week it became a reality.

Moscow has blamed the decision to restrict volumes on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany on sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine, specifically those by Canada that left key pumping equipment stranded at a Siemens Energy factory in Montreal.

But few in the west are buying Moscow’s line. Russia has access to alternative supply routes to keep export customers supplied, but declined to utilise them. With the cuts coinciding with a visit by the leaders of Germany, Italy and France to Kyiv this week, Germany’s vice-chancellor Robert Habeck said any technical issues were clearly a “pretext” for Russia to squeeze Europe’s economy.