Tusk: Germany shouldn't prosecute Nord Stream saboteurs; builders should be ashamed

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has stated that Germany should refrain from prosecuting individuals suspected of sabotaging the Nord Stream gas pipelines. Instead, Tusk suggested that the shame should fall upon those who constructed the pipelines, rather than those who damaged them.

His comments come as a Ukrainian citizen, Volodymyr Zhuravlov, was detained in Croatia based on a European Union-wide arrest warrant issued by Germany. Zhuravlov had previously been detained in Poland in September 2025 but was released after a Warsaw court refused to extradite him to Germany.

Tusk reiterated his stance, emphasizing that Poland had long opposed the Nord Stream 2 project and actively worked to prevent its construction. He noted that Germany's opinion on the matter changed too late. "Germany should certainly not hold accountable those who, in a situation where their country is attacked, take one action or another," Tusk asserted.

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Germany should certainly not hold accountable those who, in a situation where their country is attacked, take one action or another.

He further elaborated, "I will not change my opinion on this matter, and I believe that those who built this pipeline should be ashamed, not those who put it out of commission." The Nord Stream pipelines were damaged by explosions in late September 2022. "Nord Stream 1" had been used to supply Russian gas to Germany, but deliveries were halted at the time of the explosion due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "Nord Stream 2" had not yet been commissioned and its launch was also delayed by the conflict.

Zhuravlov denies any involvement in the Nord Stream sabotage. German prosecutors seek him on suspicion of involvement in causing the explosion, anti-constitutional sabotage, and destruction of property. German prosecutors allege he is a professional diver who belonged to a group that planted explosives on the pipelines. No group has claimed responsibility for the explosions, and Ukraine has denied any state involvement.

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I will not change my opinion on this matter, and I believe that those who built this pipeline should be ashamed, not those who put it out of commission.