The USA, France and Great Britain accused Russia of hypocrisy during the meeting of the UN Security Council convened by it regarding the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline. Kremlin allies accused Germany of lack of progress in the above-mentioned matter.
Several speakers issued sharp rebukes Russia for calling another meeting, two years after the explosions in September 2022 that damaged gas pipelines No. 1 and 2 in the Baltic Sea, and for wasting the Council's time and resources. They expressed support for the ongoing investigation they are conducting Germany. They also lambasted Moscow for its hypocrisy in criticizing the Nord Stream explosion while it continues to systematically attack Ukraine's water and energy infrastructure.
Russia criticized during the UN meeting
Acting US political coordinator Andrew Curiel said his country condemned the destruction of the pipelines and expressed support for Germany for the way it is conducting the investigation. In his opinion, the Security Council should not forestall the German authorities by drawing far-reaching conclusions based on political statements. He drew attention to the Kremlin's disinformation strategy, which accused the US of causing the explosion.
– There is not a shred of evidence of US involvement and there never will be, because United States were not involved, Curiel emphasized. As he added, Russia is systematically destroying energy and water infrastructure Ukrainewhich will cause a disastrous winter for millions of Ukrainians.
The deputy British political coordinator, Jess Jambert-Gray, also noted that the best explanation for the sabotage issue was support for the German investigation. The Security Council, she said, should not engage in useless speculations or attempts to undermine it. She called on Moscow to translate its declared concern for the protection of civilian infrastructure into action by immediately stopping attacks and ending aggression against Ukraine.
The permanent representative spoke in a similar tone France by UN Nicolas de Riviere. He considered putting pressure on German investigators unacceptable.
– It is particularly regrettable that (Moscow) insists on defining this as a terrorist act using explosives. This attitude shows that it prejudges the outcome of the investigation, stressed the French ambassador, drawing attention to the “terrible damage” caused by Moscow by continuing deliberate attacks on Ukraine's civilian infrastructure.
Russia's permanent representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzia, pointed out, among other things, to the German authorities for failing to provide information or even provisional results of the investigation. He alleged that his country's attempts to appeal to Berlin to speed up the investigation and make it transparent were “always blocked by the US and its allies.”
He pointed to the Security Council's intentional impasse and blocking of the investigation Mozambique. They echoed him Chinacalling for active cooperation with Moscow and the need to avoid politicizing the investigation.
Main photo source: EPA/VYACHESLAV PROKOFYEV