‘I Love the Smell of Russian Gas’: Controversial Polish Politician Backs Nord Stream

Grzegorz Braun proposed reviving the Nord Stream pipelines and involving Poland directly in the project. He said Warsaw should stop boycotting the pipelines and instead seek a shareholder stake. His position matters because Poland has long opposed Nord Stream as a security and energy risk.

Braun made the proposal at a conference in Lubmin, Germany, alongside Alternative for Germany politician Steffen Kotré. He said Nord Stream 1, and probably Nord Stream 2, would restart, allowing Russian gas to reach Western Europe. He argued that Europe could otherwise face economic collapse.

The proposal conflicts with Poland’s government position. Energy Minister Miłosz Motyka called Braun’s support “shame and treason.” Any Polish participation would also face the pipelines’ sanctions, damaged infrastructure, German opposition, and other legal and political barriers described in the article.

Nord Stream is a pipeline system designed to transport Russian natural gas to Germany. It runs beneath the Baltic Sea and comes ashore at Lubmin, in northeastern Germany. The project created a direct energy link between Russia and Germany.

The route mattered because it bypassed Poland and Ukraine. Gas could move west without crossing those countries’ land-based transit networks. Nord Stream 1 was built for this purpose, while Nord Stream 2 was intended to add another direct connection. Braun argued that Russian gas should again flow west through the system.

Poland and Ukraine viewed the route differently. They considered direct Russian-German pipelines harmful to their interests and European security. The article says they feared Russian energy dependence could finance Moscow’s war and give Russia political leverage. The pipelines are now damaged, sanctioned, and opposed by Germany’s federal government.

Nord Stream 1 is not operating, and Nord Stream 2 never entered commercial service. The article places Nord Stream 1’s shutdown in 2022. It also says Germany stopped Nord Stream 2’s certification on February 22, 2022, two days before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The infrastructure then suffered major physical damage. Three of the pipelines’ four lines were damaged in underwater explosions in September 2022. That leaves the system unable to return simply by turning a valve. Repairs, certification, and political approval would all be necessary.

The current outlook remains uncertain and difficult. Germany’s federal government opposes reopening Nord Stream and says alternative energy supplies are secured. The pipelines remain under United States and European Union sanctions. The article also reports that US and Russian officials explored a possible investor role, but one US official called a deal unlikely in the medium term.

Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 were each designed with annual capacity of about 55 billion cubic metres of natural gas. Combined, the two projects were planned to carry approximately 110 billion cubic metres every year. These figures describe design capacity, not gas actually delivered today.

That scale explains why the pipelines became strategically important. They were built to move large quantities of Russian gas directly to Germany beneath the Baltic Sea. The route bypassed Poland and Ukraine, while giving Russia and Germany a major direct energy connection. Braun’s proposal focused on restoring that westward flow.

The article does not state these capacity figures, but they are established specifications for the two pipelines. Their planned capacity cannot currently be used normally: Nord Stream 1 stopped operating, Nord Stream 2 never entered commercial service, and three of four lines were damaged. Sanctions and German opposition further complicate any restart.

Poland and Ukraine opposed Nord Stream because it sent Russian gas directly to Germany while bypassing them. That route reduced their importance as transit countries and created a separate Russia-Germany energy relationship. The disagreement was therefore about security and influence, not only pipeline construction.

The article says Poland warned that dependence on Russian energy could finance Moscow’s war and let Russia use gas supplies as political leverage. Ukraine and Poland viewed restored flows through Nord Stream as a threat to European security. Direct pipelines could give Moscow revenue and another way to pressure European governments.

Their opposition remains firm. Poland and the Baltic states still reject restoring Russian energy supplies through the pipelines. Germany’s federal government also opposes reopening Nord Stream and says it has secured alternatives. Even if gas demand remained, sanctions, damaged lines, and German approval requirements would still block an easy return.

Any Nord Stream restart would face both legal and political barriers. The pipelines remain under United States and European Union sanctions. The article also says reopening would require approval from the German government, whose current position is opposition. Germany says it has secured alternative energy supplies.

Physical damage creates another obstacle. Three of the four lines were damaged in underwater explosions in September 2022. Nord Stream 1 stopped operating, and Nord Stream 2 never entered commercial service after Germany halted its certification on February 22, 2022. Repairs and regulatory certification would therefore be needed before normal operation.

Political resistance would remain strong even if those steps were possible. Poland and the Baltic states oppose renewed Russian energy flows, while Polish officials call support for Nord Stream contrary to national interests. US and Russian officials reportedly explored an American investment role, but a US official described a deal as unlikely in the medium term.

Natural gas heats homes, generates electricity, and supports industry, so uninterrupted supply matters. When buyers rely heavily on one country, that supplier gains bargaining power. It may influence prices, contract terms, or delivery levels because customers have fewer immediate alternatives.

The article applies this concern to Russia. Poland has warned that dependence on Russian energy allows Moscow to use gas supplies as political leverage against European states. Russia could also earn revenue from gas exports, helping finance its war against Ukraine. A direct pipeline can deepen that dependence by connecting buyers to one dominant source.

Reducing this leverage requires alternatives, such as other suppliers, routes, or energy sources. Germany’s federal government says it has secured alternative supplies and opposes reopening Nord Stream. Poland and the Baltic states likewise remain firmly against restoring Russian gas flows through the pipelines because they see security and war-financing risks.