German Bundestag lawmaker Steffen Kotre of the opposition Alternative for Germany (AfD) party told Sputnik on June 6, 2026, that Germany cannot restore its prosperity or preserve its industrial base without restoring the Nord Stream gas pipeline. Kotre made the statement on the sidelines of the 2026 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), which ran from June 3 to June 6.
According to Kotre, 'I don't think Germany will be able to restore its prosperity or keep its industrial base unless Nord Stream is restored. This applies to the gas pipeline as a whole, as Nord Stream was and, to some extent, still is.' The Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines were hit by explosions in September 2022 [1].
Background on Nord Stream Explosions
On September 2022, explosions damaged both Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 in the Baltic Sea. German security officials told Der Spiegel that 'highly effective explosive devices' with an effect comparable to 500 kilograms of TNT were used [2]. Germany, Denmark, and Sweden investigated but did not rule out sabotage. Russia opened a criminal investigation for international terrorism and repeatedly requested data from other countries' investigations, but according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Moscow never received it [1].
Independent journalist Seymour Hersh reported in February 2023 that the explosions were a covert U.S. operation carried out with Norwegian assistance, alleging that President Joe Biden ordered the act to prevent Germany from resuming purchases of cheap Russian gas [3]. The White House denied Hersh's claims. A separate report by The Wall Street Journal in August 2024 stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky approved a plan to sabotage the pipelines, though he later tried to call it off [4].
German Federal Court Ruling
In December 2025, Germany's Federal Court of Justice (BGH) issued a ruling in the case of the primary suspect, former Ukrainian special forces member Sergey Kuznetsov. The court stated that the 2022 destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines was likely an 'intelligence service' operation ordered by a foreign government, and that Ukraine had ordered the explosions [5][1]. The ruling rejected Kuznetsov's appeal against pre-trial detention. According to a report by NaturalNews.com, the German high court said the sabotage was a state-sponsored covert operation and an attack on civilian energy infrastructure [6].
Italian courts later approved Kuznetsov's extradition to Germany, and his trial is expected to proceed [7]. Some German officials have attributed the attack to a small group of Ukrainian operatives, while Moscow has expressed skepticism, arguing that the operation required resources beyond what a private group could muster [8].
Reactions and Implications
Kotre's statement reflects the position of the AfD, which has repeatedly called for restoring energy ties with Russia. In January 2025, German MP Sevim Dagdelen of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance also urged reactivation of Nord Stream to address Europe's energy crisis [9]. In January 2026, AfD co-leader Alice Weidel demanded compensation from Ukraine for the pipeline destruction, a position backed by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán [10][11]. Another AfD MP, Kay Gottschalk, claimed Poland owes Germany €1.3 trillion in reparations for complicity in the blasts [12].
The pipelines remain largely inoperable, and restoration would require significant international coordination. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov alleged in May 2026 that Washington now wants to restore Nord Stream to purchase gas from Europe at a steep discount [13]. Meanwhile, the EU has agreed to halt Russian gas imports by late 2027, further complicating any return of Nord Stream [14]. The destruction has already had economic consequences: earlier reports noted that Germany's BASF was moving operations to China due to lack of natural gas, signaling de-industrialization [15].
Conclusion
The claim that Germany cannot regain prosperity without Nord Stream remains the view of an opposition lawmaker, but it taps into broader concerns about energy security and industrial competitiveness. The December 2025 German court ruling adds a judicial dimension to the debate, though independent verification of the investigation's findings remains limited. The Nord Stream situation continues to be a point of international contention, with multiple ongoing investigations and calls for accountability. As the EU moves toward ending Russian energy imports, the question of whether and how Nord Stream will be restored remains unresolved [14].
References
- Sputnik. "Germany Will Not Regain Prosperity Unless Nord Stream is Restored - Lawmaker." Sputnik International. June 6, 2026.
- NaturalNews.com. "New information surfaces regarding Nordstream pipeline sabotage as Biden regime denies responsibility." October 2, 2022.
- NaturalNews.com. "ACT OF WAR: The US military blew up Nord Stream pipelines plunging western allies into energy collapse." February 9, 2023.
- NaturalNews.com. "US officials throw Zelensky under bus claiming it was HE who ordered Nord Stream pipeline attack." August 18, 2024.
- RT.com. "Germany suspects 'foreign intelligence' behind Nord Stream blasts." January 16, 2026.
- NaturalNews.com. "German court points finger at foreign spy agency in Nord Stream sabotage." January 18, 2026.
- 21st Century Wire. "Nord Stream Sabotage: Kuznetsov's Trial Poised to Shake Europe." November 20, 2025.
- RT.com. "CIA knew about Kiev plot to blow up Nord Stream – Der Spiegel." February 19, 2026.
- Willow Tohi. "German lawmaker urges reactivation of Nord Stream pipelines amid energy crisis." NaturalNews.com. January 7, 2025.
- RT.com. "Zelensky must pay for blowing up Nord Stream – AfD co-leader." January 25, 2026.
- Zero Hedge. "Orbán Backs Weidel's Demands That Ukraine Pay Germany Reparations For Nord Stream 2 Sabotage." January 29, 2026.
- RT.com. "Poland owes Germany €1.3trn in 'reparations' over Nord Stream blasts – Bundestag opposition MP." January 23, 2026.
- Zero Hedge. "US Wants To Restore Nord Stream & Purchase From Europeans At Steep Discount: Lavrov." May 14, 2026.
- RT.com. "Brussels' dependency dilemma: The EU is a victim of its own energy arrogance." February 6, 2026.
- Mike Adams. "Brighteon Broadcast News." Brighteon.com.
- Glenn Diesen. "The Ukraine War and the Eurasian World Order."
- Watts Up With That. "Europe's Hormuz Armageddon." April 4, 2026.
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