
MOSCOW,— Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the United States has been trying to gain control of the Nord Stream gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea, which were damaged by unexplained explosions in September 2022.
The blasts, which occurred more than three years ago, cut most Russian gas flows to Europe. This reduced energy supplies across the region, although Russia had already sharply lowered deliveries before the incident.
Russia and Western nations have both described the explosions as sabotage. Investigators worked for years to identify those responsible. In 2025, a Ukrainian man was detained in Italy on suspicion of organizing the attacks, according to Reuters.
Lavrov made the remarks in an interview with France Televisions on Thursday. He said Washington has been seeking greater control over global energy markets. He referred to Venezuela and Iran as examples, stating the United States had taken control over major oil resources.
Lavrov said the United States has recently indicated it intends to assume control of the Nord Stream pipelines, based on a transcript published by Russia’s foreign ministry.
He gave no further details about the claim.
The Wall Street Journal reported in 2024 that American investor Stephen P. Lynch was attempting to purchase the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The project consists of two lines, one of which remains undamaged.
(With files from Reuters)
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