The German government announced on Friday that it achieved its goal of filling its gas reserves to 95% early, despite the complete halt of Russian supplies via the Nord Stream pipeline since the beginning of September.

The Ministry of Economy confirmed in a statement: "The reserves today have exceeded the 95% threshold and reached 95.14%."

Thus, Germany has reached its goal two weeks before the date set by the government on the first of November.

Economic Minister Robert Habeck said in the statement, "Despite the halt of Nord Stream 1, the reserves filled faster than expected."

Russian gas supplies accounted for more than 55% of Germany's imports before the war in Ukraine.

Since the start of the Russian invasion of that country on February 24, Russian gas imports have significantly declined until they completely stopped at the beginning of September.

In July, Berlin set a series of targets to fill gas reserves to 95% by the first of November before winter begins.

To achieve this, the government approved a series of energy-saving measures, including increased use of coal, reducing energy consumption in public buildings, and measures to encourage companies.

Also, Olaf Scholz's government allocated an exceptional 1.5 billion euros to purchase quantities of liquefied natural gas to ensure supplies.

Germany increased gas supplies, especially from Norway and the United States via Belgium and the Netherlands.

Johan Lilienstam, a professor at the University of Potsdam, told Agence France-Presse, "Germany bought everything it could."

However, this caused gas prices to rise for households and companies in Germany, and Berlin expects this to cause an economic recession next year.

Germany still does not have the infrastructure to allow it to import liquefied natural gas.

In this context, the government launched five projects to establish terminals that allow importing liquefied natural gas directly by sea.

One of these terminals is expected to start operating this winter at the Wilhelmshaven port on the North Sea.