Now there are four: Gas leaks from one of the pipeline leaks in the Baltic Sea on Wednesday.
Image: EPA
The alliance threatens consequences, while Sweden reports a fourth leak in the pipelines. Meanwhile, Moscow is launching investigations into “international terrorism”.
NAfter the EU states, the NATO members also threatened consequences on Thursday because of the leaks in the gas pipelines that run between Russia and Germany in the Baltic Sea. “All information currently available indicates that this is the result of intentional, reckless and irresponsible acts of sabotage,” the NATO Council said in a statement. The leaks posed a risk to shipping and caused significant damage to the environment. Allies would have pledged to repel any intimidation from energy and hybrid threats. “Any deliberate attack on the Allies’ critical infrastructure would be met with a joint and decisive response,” the thirty member states threatened.
The North Atlantic Council dealt with the latest incident and energy security in two sessions on Wednesday. Several states offered to help with the investigation. Norway made it clear that it would increase the protection of its energy infrastructure. It is not yet clear whether NATO will also increasingly fly the flag. This would require a political decision. The defense ministers will meet in Brussels in the week after next, and then that should also be the point. An EU official announced that leaders would exchange views on the gas pipeline attacks at their informal summit next week in Prague. He added that the incident fundamentally changed the nature of the conflict in Ukraine.
