EU nears deal to ration gas amid Russian cut-off fears

The landfall facility of the Nord Stream 1 Baltic Sea pipeline and the transfer station of the OPAL gas pipeline, the Baltic Sea Pipeline Link in Lubmin, Germany (Markus Schreiber/AP)

European Union governments have neared an agreement on rationing natural gas this winter to protect against any further supply cuts by Russia as Moscow pursues its invasion of Ukraine.

EU energy ministers deliberated over a draft European law that would require member states to cut demand for natural gas by 15% from August through to March.