German vice chancellor calls for users to ration gas as Russia cuts supply

The reduction in gas flows comes as Germany and the rest of Europe try to reduce their dependence on Russian energy imports

Robert Habeck has urged Germans to save energy (Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP)

Germany’s vice chancellor is stepping up an appeal for the country’s residents to save energy after Russia’s Gazprom announced significant cuts in natural gas deliveries through a key pipeline.

State-owned Gazprom announced on Tuesday that it was cutting gas flows through the undersea Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany by 40%, then, a day later, announced a further cut that brings the overall reduction to about 60%.