Nord Stream blast: Why Germany's setback is a strategic win
The explosion of the Nord Stream gas pipeline is strategically advantageous for Germany despite rising prices, as it deprived Putin of a tool for blackmail, according to a "Spiegel" columnist.
"German authorities initially reacted with outrage to the explosion of the Nord Stream pipelines. It was a favorable coincidence from the perspective of not only the most important allies but also Germany," writes Fidelius Schmid in a commentary published on the magazine's website on Wednesday.
The author points out that although German politicians refrained from publicly expressing outrage, there was quiet talk of a "dangerous sabotage."
According to editorial findings, the attack on the pipeline was carried out by a group of Ukrainians incorporated into the command structures of the Ukrainian army. From their perspective, the attack was a legitimate war target conducted in international waters.
"Irritation over this would be absurd," evaluates Schmid. In his opinion, the pipeline had long been a "thorn in the side" of Germany's most important allies. In Germany, too, a change in perspective is necessary. "From a strategic point of view, the Federal Republic benefited from the explosion," emphasizes the author.
Schmid recalls that the USA, Poland, Ukraine, the Baltic countries, and other European countries opposed the project from the start. He emphasizes that Germany downplayed the warnings, while Poland and the Baltic countries "mattered too little to be taken seriously in their concerns."
Putin can no longer blackmail Germany with gas
"Russian gas was cheap, and Germany wanted more and more of it," we read in "Spiegel." The author recalls that the second line of the pipeline was built despite the Russian attack on Crimea in 2014, and even a month before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke of it as a "purely business project."
According to "Spiegel," this either indicates naivety or a special form of ignoring reality.
Only when Putin shut off the gas supply through Nord Stream 1 did Germany realize that Russia was using gas as a political weapon. "Germany became vulnerable to blackmail. Gas prices skyrocketed dramatically," we read in "Spiegel."
Handling the crisis cost billions, yet Germany's situation is now better than before. Energy security has increased, and Germany imports gas from various sources. Although energy has become more expensive, primarily affecting the economy, the more significant fact is that Putin cannot blackmail Germany with gas, the daily evaluates.
"Thanks to the fact that the special German-Russian relations in the field of energy have come to an end, the West has become more unified," writes the "Spiegel" commentator, noting in conclusion that Nord Stream was never a German project but a Putin project.
