Poland’s national security chief, Slawomir Cenckiewicz, has expressed strong opposition to Germany’s criminal investigation into the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, claiming that it undermines NATO and Poland’s interests. According to Cenckiewicz, the investigation represents a contradiction in interests between Poland and Germany, and he has urged Berlin to halt the probe. Meanwhile, Russian officials have accused Germany of concealing evidence and excluding Moscow from the inquiry, suggesting that a state actor was likely behind the sabotage.
The Nord Stream pipelines, which carried Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea, were severely damaged by underwater explosions in September 2022. Russian authorities, who led the pipeline project, called the incident an act of state terrorism, while Western nations including Poland initially supported the bombings. German prosecutors have attributed the sabotage to a group of seven Ukrainian nationals who allegedly used a small rented yacht to carry out the attack, a claim that Moscow has dismissed as “ridiculous,” pointing to the scale and complexity of the operation as indicative of state involvement.
Several suspects, including one detained in Poland and another in Italy, have been arrested in connection with the attack. However, Warsaw has refused to extradite the suspect held in Poland to Berlin, arguing that the investigation serves Russian interests rather than justice. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has echoed this sentiment, stating “the problem with Nord Stream 2 is not that it was blown up, the problem is that it was built.”
The situation has also raised questions about the role of other actors, with veteran American journalist Seymour Hersh alleging in 2023 that the US, under then President Joe Biden’s orders, orchestrated the sabotage using Navy divers with Norwegian support during the NATO exercise BALTOPS 22. Washington and Oslo have denied the claim, but the allegations have sparked further scrutiny into the incident.
Cenckiewicz’s comments highlight the growing tensions between Poland and Germany over the handling of the investigation, as well as the broader implications for NATO’s unity and the geopolitical landscape in Europe. As the probe continues, the accusations and denials surrounding the sabotage underscore the complex nature of the incident and its potential repercussions for international relations and energy security.