Polish Prime Minister Addresses Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage Allegations

Polish Prime Minister Responds to Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage Claims

On Saturday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk addressed recent allegations surrounding the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines in 2022. He remarked that those responsible for initiating the gas pipeline project should “apologize and keep quiet.” This statement follows a denial from one of his deputies regarding claims that Poland played a part in the pipelines’ destruction.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Ukrainian authorities were implicated in the destruction of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which occurred in September 2022. This shocking act of sabotage severed Germany’s access to a vital energy source and exacerbated Europe’s ongoing energy crisis. Notably, Germany had partnered with Russia on this pipeline project. Poland has consistently voiced concerns that its national security was undermined by the existence of Nord Stream.

Tusk’s comments appeared to directly address statements made by August Hanning, the former head of Germany’s foreign intelligence agency, the BND. In an interview with the German daily Die Welt, Hanning suggested that Poland might have provided support for the attack on the pipelines. He even recommended that Germany consider seeking compensation from both Poland and Ukraine.

However, Hanning’s assertions were made without any supporting evidence. Observers have pointed out that he served during the tenure of former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who later took on roles in Russian state-owned energy companies, including those linked to the Nord Stream project.

Krzysztof Gawkowski, a deputy Polish prime minister and the minister of digital affairs, vehemently denied any involvement by Poland and Ukraine in the damage to the Nord Stream pipelines. In an interview with Polsat, he characterized Hanning’s remarks as “inspired by Moscow,” arguing that they were intended to destabilize NATO member states. “I believe that this is the sound of Russian disinformation,” he asserted.

Interestingly, Polish prosecutors confirmed on Wednesday that they had received a warrant for a Ukrainian individual wanted by Germany as a suspect in the pipeline attack. However, they noted that this individual had exited Poland before any arrest could be made.

The Nord Stream project comprised two pipelines designed to transport gas from Russia to Europe along the Baltic Sea bed, despite opposition from Poland, the United States, and Ukraine. These pipelines allowed Russia to supply gas directly to Western Europe, circumventing Poland and Ukraine. This situation posed a financial threat to Warsaw and Kyiv, which feared the loss of substantial transit fees and the political influence that came with managing the gas transport routes.

The Wall Street Journal reported that it had consulted with four senior Ukrainian defense and security officials who either participated in or had direct knowledge of the operation. Each of them maintained that the pipelines were a legitimate target within Ukraine’s defensive efforts against Russian aggression. However, Ukrainian authorities have categorically denied these claims.

To provide context, Nord Stream 1 was completed and went into operation in 2011, while Nord Stream 2 was finalized in the autumn of 2021 but never became operational due to Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.