Putin blames Nord Stream blasts for disruption of Russia-Germany relations

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that cooperation between Moscow and Berlin had been disrupted by blasts in September 2022 affecting Nord Stream pipelines that had pumped Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea.

Accepting the credentials of more than 20 new ambassadors, including those of Germany and Britain, at a ceremony in the Kremlin, Putin also said he hoped that relations between Moscow and London would improve.

Russia's relations with Western countries are at their lowest level since the depths of the Cold War following Putin's decision in February 2022 to send tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine, prompting sweeping Western economic sanctions.


Russia has blamed the United States, Britain, and Ukraine for the pipeline blasts. They all denied any involvement.