Kremlin Says Nord Stream Case Should Affect Ukraine's EU Bid

The EU should take allegations of Ukraine's involvement in the September 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions into account when considering Kyiv's bid for membership, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

He was responding to a decision by Germany's Federal Prosecutor's Office to charge a former Ukrainian army officer over his alleged role in the explosions. According to prosecutors, the officer acted on behalf of Ukrainian state authorities.

Ukrainian officials said they did not have sufficient information to comment in detail on the German charges. Peskov, however, argued that the case demonstrated the Ukrainian state's direct involvement in what he described as a terrorist attack on the EU's critical infrastructure. He said EU member states should consider the allegations when discussing closer ties with Kyiv.

The explosions in the Baltic Sea severely damaged the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which transported Russian gas to Europe, and also damaged one of the two Nord Stream 2 pipelines.

Moscow has long blamed Ukraine for the sabotage, which took place several months after Russia's full-scale invasion. Kyiv has repeatedly denied any official involvement, although investigators widely agree that the explosions were the result of deliberate sabotage.

(Reuters, Max)