Italy will face serious problems filling its gas storages if Russian gas supplies are cut off now, and this will create a problem in the winter season, said Italian Minister of Ecology Roberto Cingolani, Reuters reported.

It would be important to keep Russian shipments until the end of 2022 to be able to withstand the winter and ensure that supplies from Russia are phased out in a safe environment, Cingolani said during a speech before the Chamber of Deputies.

The minister added that setting a national gas price cap for Italy would be extremely difficult and should be done at the level of the European Union (EU).