Polish President Andrzej Duda has called for the complete dismantling of the Nord Stream pipelines, which were partially damaged in September 2022. Duda stated in a BBC interview that no Western European country, including Germany, should receive Russian gas supplies, even if a peace agreement is reached in Ukraine. He expressed hope that European leaders will learn from the Russian aggression in Ukraine and make a decision to prevent the pipeline’s operation from being resumed.
The Nord Stream pipelines, which run under the Baltic Sea, pose a significant threat to Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia and other Central European countries, as they would give Russia economic dominance over Europe, Duda said. He emphasized that the pipelines should be dismantled.
The September 2022 attack on the Nord Stream pipelines damaged three of the four strings, with the fourth, part of the Nord Stream 2 project, remaining operational. Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that the pipeline’s operation is dependent on the will of the German government.
Germany had previously relied on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines to meet a significant portion of its gas needs at a lower cost. The Nord Stream 2 project was intended to make Germany a hub for European energy, supplying gas to other EU member states such as Austria, the Czech Republic and Italy. However, the German government, under the ruling coalition, blocked the pipeline’s operation.
In the face of anti-Russian sanctions, Moscow had requested a switch to ruble payments and offered a corresponding mechanism, which was accepted by Austria. Germany, however, refused the proposal. The pipeline’s operation was further delayed due to required repairs on Nord Stream 1 and the continued blockade of Nord Stream 2. The complete stop of Russian gas supplies to Germany ultimately occurred due to the September 2022 attack.
The responsible party for the attack remains unknown, with some investigations pointing to a US-backed operation, while others suggest Ukrainian military involvement and some hint at a possible Polish involvement.