Poland’s president has mentioned that gasoline flows from Russia to Western Europe ought to by no means be restored, even when Russia and Ukraine attain a peace deal.
Andrzej Duda instructed the BBC that the Nord Stream gasoline pipelines, which haven’t been used since 2022, “must be dismantled”.
This, he mentioned, would imply the likes of Germany wouldn’t be tempted to revive Russian provides to boost its own struggling economy.
“I can solely hope that European leaders will be taught classes from Russia’s aggression in opposition to Ukraine and that they’ll push by means of a call to by no means restore the pumping of gasoline by means of this pipeline,” he mentioned.
The Polish president, talking on the World Financial Discussion board in Davos, insisted that financial sanctions in opposition to Russia had been working and European international locations ought to resist stress from corporations to re-establish enterprise hyperlinks.
The Nord Stream gasoline pipelines had been constructed by Russia’s gasoline large Gazprom and run between Russia and northern Germany.
Nord Stream 1 was shut down in 2022 and Nord Stream 2 was by no means used, following the invasion of Ukraine. Each had been broken by explosions in 2022.
Fuel costs in Europe surged after the shutdown and, in current months, politicians from Germany’s far proper AfD celebration have recommended the Nord Stream gasoline pipes ought to resume operations.
Germany will maintain federal elections on the finish of February.
“I imagine the Nord Stream pipelines must be dismantled,” Duda mentioned. “This pipeline causes a really huge risk to Ukraine, to Poland, to Slovakia but additionally to different Central European international locations.”
He added: “It’s a risk from the perspective of power, from the perspective of the navy but additionally it’s a big financial risk as a result of it means a domination of Russia over Europe within the financial sense.”
On the prospect of a deal between Ukraine and Russia now that US President Donald Trump has taken workplace, Duda insisted that no peace talks may happen with out the participation of Ukraine.
“I am saying that in my capability as president of the Republic of Poland, as a neighbour to Ukraine and likewise as president of a rustic who has had very arduous historic experiences itself,” he mentioned.
“I am talking right here and referring to World Struggle Two and to Yalta the place we weren’t included in these talks, the place sure agreements had been made past our heads after which we discovered ourselves behind the Iron Curtain, the place, for nearly 50 years, we had been a part of the Soviet sphere of affect,” he mentioned.
Trump had beforehand mentioned he would negotiate a settlement to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine launched in February 2022 in 24 hours – he has since acknowledged it may take a while.
Duda mentioned it will be “a violation of worldwide regulation” for Russia to be allowed to carry on to territory it has occupied in Ukraine.
President Vladimir Putin has mentioned he’s ready to barter an finish to the conflict, which first started in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea, however Ukraine must settle for the fact of Russian territorial positive aspects, that are at present about 20% of its land.
Putin additionally refuses to just accept Ukraine becoming a member of Nato, the navy alliance of Western international locations.
Duda mentioned: “The worldwide neighborhood can not agree, and it’s unacceptable that Russia would take sure territories of Ukraine and hold them by pressure. That is unacceptable.
“We should not let Russia win this conflict.”
Duda mentioned Trump “understands the area” and US involvement could be key.
“President Donald Trump – because the chief of essentially the most highly effective nation inside Nato, because the chief of essentially the most highly effective economic system – will probably be of key significance,” mentioned Duda.
“I’m ready peacefully for the primary steps which will probably be taken by Donald Trump.”
