Russia Halts Supply , of Natural Gas, Worsening, EU Energy Crisis.br 'Newsweek' reports that vital gas supplies to western Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline have been halted by Russian state-owned firm Gazprom.br According to the Russian energy giant, maintenance work would require the flow of natural gas to Germany to be halted from Aug. 31 to Sept. 3.br According to the Russian energy giant, maintenance work would require the flow of natural gas to Germany to be halted from Aug. 31 to Sept. 3.br Germany has accused Russia of driving up prices in an br attempt to shake the European Union's resolve regarding br sanctions imposed in response to the invasion of Ukraine.br Germany has accused Russia of driving up prices in an br attempt to shake the European Union's resolve regarding br sanctions imposed in response to the invasion of Ukraine.br The Nord Stream 1 is a 745-mile pipeline br that carries gas under the Baltic Sea from br the Russian coast to northeastern Germany.br Two weeks ago, Russia claims to have warned Germany about the outage, but officials in Berlin say they were br never formally informed about the scheduled maintenance.br In July, the Nord Stream 1 was shut down br for 10 days, another outage that br Russia attributed to necessary repairs.br The outages have stoked fears among br EU leaders that Russia could cut off br supplies during the peak winter months.br The ongoing energy crunch has triggered a br surge in wholesale gas prices and increased the burden br faced by consumers and businesses in the EU.br The ongoing energy crunch has triggered a br surge in wholesale gas prices and increased the burden br faced by consumers and businesses in the EU.br Earlier this week, Gazprom said it br would also halt gas deliveries to French br contractor Engie due to a payment dispute.br In response, Agnes Pannier-Runacher, France's Energy Transition Minister, accused Russia of , "using gas as a weapon of war.".br In response, Agnes Pannier-Runacher, France's Energy Transition Minister, accused Russia of , "using gas as a weapon of war.