On August 21 (Moscow time), according to TASS news agency, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the situation related to the Nord Stream gas pipelines is causing significant economic losses to Germany, and creating a dangerous "shock" for Poland.
Ms. Zakharova made the above assessment when commenting on the recent statements of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk related to the sabotage of the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines.
In the context of disagreements between Poland and Germany, the situation around the Nord Stream pipelines is clearly leading to significant political and economic losses for Germany. For Poland, it is synonymous with a dangerous shock," Zakharova said.
The statement of the Spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry was made after Mr. Tusk said that the people who built the Nord Stream pipelines were the ones who deserved to be criticized, rather than those who caused these pipelines to stop operating. The Polish Prime Minister also said that he did not change his view of opposing the Nord Stream 2 project.
The Nord Stream pipelines are built to transport gas from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea. This system includes Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2, of which Nord Stream 2 did not go into commercial operation before the explosions occurred.
On September 26, 2022, explosions damaged 3 pipelines belonging to Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2. Germany, Denmark and Sweden had conducted separate investigations into the incident, while Russia opened an investigation in the direction of international terrorism.
The sabotage continued to attract attention in recent days after a Ukrainian citizen was arrested in the city of Pula, Croatia, under a European arrest warrant issued by Germany. This person is accused by the German side of being involved in the placement of explosives at the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, and is facing extradition procedures to Germany.
According to German prosecutors, the suspect is a professional divers and is believed to be a member of a group involved in placing explosives at pipelines near Bornholm Island in the Baltic Sea. Another suspect, also a Ukrainian citizen, has been prosecuted by the German side in this case.
Mr. Tusk's statement is further highlighting the differences in Poland and Germany's approach to the incident. Poland has long opposed Nord Stream 2, while Germany is the main destination of the pipeline designed to bring Russian gas directly to the European market.
The incident therefore continues to become a sensitive issue regarding energy security and relations between European countries, as Germany's investigation into those suspected of being involved in the sabotage is still ongoing.
