The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, noted today that all available information indicates that the leaks in Nord Stream’s submarine gas pipelines are the result of sabotage, and warned of a “robust” response from the European Union (EU) .
In a statement released this morning in Brussels, the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy emphasizes that the EU bloc is “deeply concerned about the damage caused to the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which led to leaks in the international waters of the Baltic Sea”.
“Safety and environmental concerns are top priorities. These incidents are no accident and affect all of us,” he continues, noting that “all available information indicates that these leaks are the result of an intentional act.”
“We will support any inquiry that aims to gain full clarity on what happened and why, and we will take further steps to increase our resilience to energy security,” said the European Diplomatic Corps leader.
To conclude, the The High Representative warned that “any intentional disruption of Europe’s energy infrastructure is totally unacceptable and deserves a strong and united response”.
Damage to Nord Stream 1 & 2 is no accident and affects us all.
All available information indicates that leaks are the result of an intentional act.
Deliberate disruption of Europe’s energy infrastructure is completely unacceptable and will be met with a strong and united response. https://t.co/p32qR8TzOb
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) September 28, 2022
On Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen had already warned that if the three leaks in the Nord Stream submarine gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea were an “action of sabotage”, there would be “a strong response”. .
“It is now of the utmost importance to investigate the incidents, get full clarity on the events and why. Any intentional disruption of Europe’s active energy infrastructure is unacceptable and will lead to the strongest possible response,” said von der Leyen .
The President of the European Commission made these statements after speaking by telephone with the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, whose government, like Sweden’s, indicated that the leaks in the gas pipelines connecting Russia to Germany are the result of ” intentional acts”.
“The clear assessment of the authorities is that it is an intentional act and not an accident,” Frederiksen noted at a news conference.
Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson also said that “probably” what happened was due to “sabotage”.
Neither ruler wanted to speculate on the possible motive or perpetrator and both emphasized the seriousness of the incident, although it took place close by but outside their territory, nor did von der Leyen point to an alleged perpetrator.
NATO, Russia, the United States and Germany also avoided speculation until they had more information on the matter.
A Swedish seismic institute announced that Sweden had discovered two underwater explosions, “probably due to detonations”, near where leaks were discovered in pipelines carrying Russian gas to Europe.
The Danish and Swedish authorities have discovered leaks in the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which Russia closed in early September, and in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was never commissioned due to a lack of permission from Germany, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, February 24.
Despite not being operational, the two pipelines of a consortium of the Russian giant Gazprom were full of gas.
Ukraine on Tuesday accused Russia of responsibility for gas pipeline leaks and denounced a “terrorist attack” on the European Union.
“The large-scale Nord Stream 1 gas leak is nothing more than a terrorist attack planned by Russia and an act of aggression against the European Union,” Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podoliak said on Twitter, quoted by the French news agency.
NS-1 “gas leak” is nothing more than a Russian-planned terrorist attack and an act of aggression against the EU. wants to destabilize the economic situation in Europe and cause panic before the winter. The best response and security investment tanks for . Especially German…
— ихайло одоляк (@Podolyak_M) September 27, 2022
Source: DN
