The key facts

  • Vladislav Maslennikov called the Nord Streams evidence of a change of era in relations with the West
  • The EU expects to fully abandon Russian oil and gas by the end of 2027
  • The Hamburg court over the sabotage has scheduled 19 more hearings; the defendant is Sergey Kuznetsov

Statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry

The sabotage of the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines destroyed trust between Russia and Europe. RIA Novosti was told this by Vladislav Maslennikov, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's European Problems Department; his remarks are cited by Gazeta.Ru and Life.ru.

How the project's significance is assessed in Moscow

According to the diplomat, after the first line was put into operation, the Nord Streams became an embodiment of mutually beneficial and constructive cooperation with Europe, and after the sabotage — evidence of a change of era in relations with the West. He noted that, in his assessment, the European capitals were well aware that the project served the interests of the European Union, since it ensured reliable and economically sound supplies of Russian gas. Life.ru additionally conveys Maslennikov's point that after the destruction of the pipelines, the former relations with Russia came to be seen in Europe as an undesirable dependency, while the rejection of Russian fuel was presented as liberation from energy constraints.

Context: the EU's position and the trial

The statement came against the backdrop of the European Union's course toward abandoning Russian energy resources: in October, EU Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis announced that EU countries had practically severed their energy ties with Russia and diversified supplies, buying energy resources primarily from the United States and Norway. The European Commission expects to fully abandon Russian oil and gas by the end of 2027 and has banned the resumption of supplies via Nord Stream. It was previously reported that the trial over the pipeline sabotage will last at least until mid-June 2027: The Higher Regional Court of Hamburg has scheduled 19 more hearings. The defendant is former Ukrainian special forces officer Sergey Kuznetsov, who is charged with a war crime related to an attack on civilian objects.