The International Energy Agency has asked Russia to send more natural gas to Europe to help the continental energy crisis, reports Financial Times.

The IEA is thereby the first big international organization to address claims from commodity traders and diplomats that Moscow has been limiting supply.

Even though Russia has fulfilled its long-term contracts with European customers, the Paris-headquartered agency says the eastern country has supplied far less gas to its western neighbors than before the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The IEA believes that Russia could do more to increase gas availability to Europe and ensure storage is filled to adequate levels in preparation for the coming winter heating season," the IEA says, as cited by the British media.

Some members of European Parliament have requested a probe into Russian state-owned monopoly gas exporter Gazprom. International civil servants and other entities have questioned why the company has limited extra gas sales to the European spot market.

MEPs deem that limited supply has resulted in higher prices that increase energy bills for everything from private households to industries across the continent.

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