Russia nears gas shutdown in Europe as Germany rejects claims it can’t fulfil contracts

LONDON — Russia’s energy giant is threatening to send less gas to Europe — but Germany, one of its main importers, has rejected the idea.

Majority state-owned Gazprom said Monday that due to unforeseeable circumstances it is not in a position to comply with gas contracts with Europe.

Germany’s energy firm Uniper confirmed to CNBC that Gazprom had claimed “force majeure” on its supplies. Force majeure, a legal term, occurs when unforeseeable circumstances prevent one party from fulfilling its contractual duties, in theory absolving them from penalties.

“It is true…