Biden's Nord Stream pledge echoes as leaks spark sabotage probes

Biden promised to stop Nord Stream 2 and the pipeline ended up leaking

In February 2022, US President Joe Biden responded to a journalist asking how he would halt Nord Stream 2 if the project was under German government control. His answer was a promise: "I can promise you this. We will make it happen." Months later, the gas pipeline connecting Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea shows massive leaks in Danish and Swedish waters, and authorities from several countries speak of sabotage. The coincidence between the promise and the outcome is the core of a debate mixing geopolitics, energy, and economic interests.

What is Nord Stream 2 and why did Biden promise to end it

Nord Stream 2 is a gas pipeline linking Russia and Germany along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Its goal was to double the capacity for transporting Russian gas to Europe, bypassing land routes like Ukraine and Poland. The United States opposed it from the start because, according to its argument, it increased European dependence on Russian gas and reinforced Kremlin influence over Berlin. In February 2022, Biden was asked directly how he planned to stop the project if it was under German government control. His response, captured in debate material, was: "I can promise you this. We will make it happen."

The promise was not rhetorical. Washington had been applying pressure for years with sanctions against companies involved in construction and vessels participating in it. However, the pipeline continued forward. Germany defended it as key energy infrastructure for its industry. The paradox was evident: a US president promising to halt a private German project on European soil.

Leaks in the Baltic and recorded explosions

Debate material notes that Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 have gas leaks in Danish and Swedish waters. Images published by the Danish military show large-diameter bubbles on the surface. The Swedish seismic center recorded underwater explosions in the leak zone. Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde stated her government was entering crisis meetings regarding what is described as alleged sabotage.

The magnitude of the escape led to talk of a "really big hole" in the pipe structure. Several countries—Germany, Sweden, and Russia—denounced it as an intentional act. The question hovering over the analysis is simple: if Russia controls the gas valves, what need did it have to blow up its own infrastructure? Closing the tap would have sufficed to stop supply. That logic fuels suspicion about other actors.

Context not shown in media: protests in Germany and Baltic Pipe

Part of the analysis argues the sabotage must be linked to what media did not show: protests in Germany and a shift in opinion among part of the population, demanding Nord Stream 2 be peine amid the energy crisis. The circulating idea is that the US antiestéticared losing European customers for its liquefied natural gas (LNG) if Germany returned to buying Russian gas. This hypothesis is unconfirmed but fits the timing.

On the same day as the leaks, the Polish president and prime ministers of Poland and Denmark inaugurated the Baltic Pipe, which will bring 10 billion cubic meters of Norwegian gas to Poland annually. The temporal coincidence is, at minimum, striking. Poland has been one of the most critical countries toward Nord Stream and a main beneficiary of alternative routes.

Who gains and who loses with the pipeline out of service

Economic calculation carries the most weight in the analysis. If Nord Stream 2 becomes unusable, Germany loses direct access to cheap Russian gas and is forced to buy LNG, mainly from the US, at higher prices. German industry, which built competitiveness on affordable energy, faces structural cost increases. LNG receiving ports and US shipping firms gain market share.

Russia loses a major client and a key export route but maintains other paths to Asia and Turkey. Ukraine and Poland strengthen their strategic position as alternative transit countries. Baltic Pipe is proof: Norway partially replaces Russia in supplying Poland. Ultimately, the European energy board is being redesigned rapidly.

Doubts about authorship and silence of investigations

No investigation has officially identified a responsible party. Authorities speak of sabotage but have not identified perpetrators. Circulating analyses point to the US as the main beneficiary without conclusive evidence. The UK, Ukraine, or non-state actors are also mentioned. Lack of transparency fuels all kinds of theories.

It is certain the pipeline was full of gas when leaks occurred. If flow is cut and seawater enters, the pipe corrodes internally and becomes permanently unusable. This technical detail, noted in the debate, suggests the objective was not temporary interruption but permanent destruction of infrastructure. A valve closure would not have had that effect.

What happens now with Russian gas and European dependence

Short term, Europe accelerates LNG purchases and fills storage before winter. Medium term, the question is whether Germany can afford to definitively renounce Russian gas without dismantling part of its industry. The debate is open. Some analyses argue the break is irreversible; others believe that when social pressure rises, formulas will be sought to reopen supply.

Meanwhile, Baltic Pipe is operational and Poland celebrates energy independence from Moscow. Denmark and Sweden investigate the explosions. Russia demands participation in inquiries. And Biden's promise, recorded on video, continues circulating as a reminder that sometimes promises are kept. Or was it just a coincidence?

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Key data from the debate:

• Nord Stream 2 doubled Russian gas transport capacity to Germany via the Baltic.
• Baltic Pipe will transport 10 billion cubic meters of Norwegian gas to Poland annually.
• Explosions were recorded 700 km away in Hamar (Norway), according to seismic stations.
• Gas bubbles on the surface reached 100 meters in diameter, according to released images.