The European Union is trying to set the maximum allowable gas price. But these efforts ran into German resistance.. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is pushing ahead with a plan that aims to deprive Russia of an influx of money that is then spent on the war against Ukraine, as well as to curb the very high energy prices that have sowed economic chaos on the continent.

But this plan is resisted by Europe's most powerful economy, which has also become the largest importer of Russian gas to the EU, Politico writes..

“We remain skeptical when it comes to issues related to limiting gas prices. But we are generally ready for negotiations within the European framework,” said a spokesman for the German Ministry of Economics.

The publication writes that one of the EU diplomats criticized Germany, calling it a " Von der Leyen last week called for a maximum price for Russian gas imports. EU officials have since begun to prepare various options for implementing such a move.. Representatives of the union countries will discuss this issue today before the meeting of energy ministers, which will be held on Friday.. On Monday, France backed Brussels' proposal. Poland also wants to limit the price of gas. Polish diplomat said such measures should cover all gas imports in Europe. However, the German government and Chancellor Olaf Scholz do not want to limit.

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Before today's meeting, officials in Berlin argued that the EU should focus on less drastic measures to combat high energy prices, in particular a tax on energy income.. The governing coalition in Germany agreed on such a decision on Sunday. Berlin's stance has led to pessimism about the possibility of limiting Russian gas prices without German support. An unnamed EU diplomat said the outcome of today's meeting would "

In an effort to advance the German position ahead of the meeting, Scholz's top EU adviser Jorg Kukis arrived in Brussels yesterday to discuss issues with European Commission officials, including Von der Leyen's cabinet chief Bjorn Siebert.. Berlin worries that limiting the price of Russian gas coming through pipelines will provoke Moscow. And it will completely cut off the EU from supplies. In this case, the countries of Central Europe, such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia or Romania, which receive Russian gas through the Ukrainian GTS or through the Turkish Stream, will suffer the most.. Some in Brussels share such concerns..

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said on Monday that Germany itself is already almost completely cut off from supplies from Russia.. Because after the shutdown of Nord Stream, it receives only small volumes through Ukraine. Khabek also does not believe that Moscow will resume gas supplies to Germany.. However, officials in Berlin are against the price cap, fearing it would destabilize the region.. In the end, according to EU rules, if Russian gas supplies stop completely, then the German side will be obliged to share its volumes with other countries.

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However, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia hold most of the gas they will need in the winter, unlike Germany, according to EU data.. But, according to the director of the Italian center Istituto Affari Internazionali Natalie Tocci, talk about limiting prices for Russian gas does not make sense.. Because Moscow is already pumping almost nothing to the EU.

“There is an opportunity to do this.. The problem is that this will only limit the price of volumes that are actually zero,” she explained..