--- title: "Tusk Calls on Germany Not to Prosecute Suspects in Nord Stream Sabotage: \"It's Shameful for Those Who Built the Pipeline\"" description: "Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called on Germany not to prosecute suspects in the sabotage of the \"Nord Streams,\" stating that it is shameful for those who built the pipeline. Warsaw had previously lobbied for the rejection of the project." date: 2026-08-21T06:14:01.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/tusk-calls-on-germany-not-to-prosecute-nord-stream-suspects tags: [donald-tusk, north-stream, germany, poland, ukraine, gas-pipeline] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Tusk Calls on Germany Not to Prosecute Suspects in Nord Stream Sabotage: "It's Shameful for Those Who Built the Pipeline" ![Donald Tusk in front of the German flag urges Germany not to prosecute suspects in the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/21/tusk-prizval-germaniyu-ne-sudit-podozrevaemyh-severnye-potoki/tusk-prizval-germaniyu-ne-sudit-podozrevaemyh-severnye-potoki-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Tusk stated that Germany should not prosecute suspects in the sabotage of the "Nord Streams" and called the builders of the pipeline shameful, not those who "turned it off." - Poland, according to the Prime Minister, long opposed "Nord Stream 2," while Germany changed its position too late. - On August 19, another Ukrainian citizen suspected of sabotage was detained in Croatia; at least two detainees are mentioned in Germany. - An unconfirmed version about the possible role of the CIA in the destruction of the gas pipelines is discussed in the public sphere. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk made a sharp statement addressing Berlin, calling on Germany to refrain from criminally prosecuting individuals suspected of sabotaging the Russian gas pipelines "Nord Stream 1" and "Nord Stream 2." The remarks by the head of the Polish government came against the backdrop of reports that at least two Ukrainian citizens have already been detained in Germany, whom Berlin considers involved in the sabotage that took place in the autumn of 2022. This was reported by RBK-Ukraine, citing TVP World. ### "It is shameful for those who built it, not those who turned it off" Responding to journalists' questions about how he views Berlin's intention to hold the detainees criminally liable, Tusk stated that Germany "should certainly not prosecute those who, in a situation where their country is under attack, take certain measures." According to him, he does not intend to change his position and believes that "it should be shameful for those who built this pipeline, not for those who turned it off." Thus, Warsaw is effectively legitimizing in the public sphere actions that Berlin classifies as a crime. ### Poland's Position: The Project Was a Mistake Against the backdrop of recent events, Tusk recalled that Poland had long opposed the implementation of the "Nord Stream 2" project and did everything possible to prevent its construction. According to the Prime Minister, Warsaw understood in advance that the gas pipeline would exacerbate Europe's energy dependence on Russian supplies. Regarding Germany, he noted that Berlin "came to this conclusion virtually at the last moment": "Germany had a different opinion at the time. They changed their opinion, but it was already too late". ### Chronology of Detentions Tusk's statement came against the backdrop of an active phase of the investigation. According to the publication, on August 19, another Ukrainian citizen was detained in Croatia, suspected of involvement in the sabotage of the "Nord Streams." Previously, detentions on German territory were also recorded. The media separately raised the question of why Poland did not extradite one of the Ukrainians to Berlin in this case, which adds inter-state legal tension to the process. ### Contradictory Data There is a discrepancy in the details in available sources. RBK-Ukraine uses the formulation "at least two Ukrainian citizens" in the status of those detained in Germany, while TSN focuses on the "arrest of a Ukrainian" (singular), and the publication "Neftegaz" characterizes the situation as an "attempt to prosecute" suspects. That is, the number of participants and their exact legal status (detention vs. arrest) is presented inconsistently in different publications. Furthermore, the "possible role of the CIA" in the destruction of the gas pipelines is mentioned in the news context, however, this version is speculative and not confirmed by official statements by any of the parties, so in the article it is reflected only as a subject of public discussion. ### Context and Consequences Tusk's public support for the suspects intensifies the political conflict between Warsaw and Berlin over the legacy of the "Nord Streams." For Poland, which historically positioned itself as an opponent of the project, the 2022 sabotage became confirmation of its own correctness in energy policy. For Germany, on the contrary, this is a matter of the rule of law and international cooperation in the sphere of justice. The further development of the case will depend on whether Berlin can coordinate its legal position with the political pressure of NATO and EU allies. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Tusk shamed Germany and called for the release of suspects in the sabotage of "Nord Streams"](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/tusk-prisoromiv-nimechchinu-i-zaklikav-vidpustiti-1787292680.html) - Основной источник цитаты Туска; указывает на задержание по меньшей мере двух граждан Украины в Германии и ссылается на TVP World. - [Tusk attacked Germany over the arrest of a Ukrainian in the "Nord Stream" case: what he said](https://tsn.ua/ru/svit/tusk-nabrosilsya-na-germaniyu-iz-za-aresta-ukraintsa-po-delu-severnyh-potokov-chto-zayavil-3153071.html) - Подтверждает заявление Туска, однако акцентирует на «аресте украинца» (ед.ч.), что расходится с формулировкой о двух задержанных. - [Polish Prime Minister D. Tusk shamed Germany for supporting Nord Stream 2 and the attempt to ...](https://neftegaz.ru/news/politics/933579-premer-ministr-polshi-d-tusk-pristydil-germaniyu-za-podderzhku-severnogo-potoka-2-i-popytku-sudit-pr/) - Подтверждает критику Туска в адрес Берлина за поддержку проекта и намерение судить подозреваемых. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What exactly did Donald Tusk say about the suspects in the sabotage of the "Nord Streams"? **A:** Tusk stated that Germany should not prosecute those who take certain measures in the event of an attack on their country, and emphasized that it should be shameful for those who built the pipeline, not for those who turned it off. ### Q: How many Ukrainian citizens have been detained in the "Nord Stream" case? **A:** According to RBK-Ukraine, at least two Ukrainian citizens have been detained in Germany, and another one was detained in Croatia on August 19. However, some sources (TSN) focus on a single arrest, so the exact number of participants and their status may vary. ### Q: Why did Poland oppose "Nord Stream 2"? **A:** According to Tusk, Warsaw understood that the project would exacerbate Europe's dependence on Russian energy carriers and did everything possible to prevent its construction. Germany, in his assessment, changed its position too late. ### Q: Is the version about the CIA's role in the destruction of the gas pipelines confirmed? **A:** No, this version is mentioned in the news context as "possible" and is not confirmed by official statements by any of the parties, so in the article it is reflected only as a subject of public discussion.