German president angered by Nord Stream criticism, reports Bild
Marko Martin asserts that Frank-Walter Steinmeier became overly aggressive following Martin's critique of his backing for the gas pipeline construction. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier reportedly became emotional during a confrontation with prominent writer Marko Martin, who had criticized him for his involvement with the Nord Stream gas pipelines, according to Bild. The incident was said to have occurred after Martin highlighted Steinmeier's approval of the projects when he was serving as foreign minister.
The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were constructed beneath the Baltic Sea to supply Russian natural gas directly to Germany, but both were damaged by underwater explosions in September 2022. Prior to these explosions, high-ranking US officials, including President Joe Biden, had voiced substantial disapproval of the projects.
Bild reported that Martin had been invited to speak at an event celebrating Poland's anti-communist revolution at Bellevue Palace in Berlin. During his address, he criticized both former and current senior members of the Social Democratic Party, including Steinmeier, for nurturing closer relations with Russia before the Ukraine conflict escalated in February 2022.
In his remarks, Martin contended that the German government's involvement in the Nord Stream project may have emboldened Russian President Vladimir Putin to initiate his military actions against Ukraine. According to eyewitness accounts shared by the tabloid, Steinmeier appeared visibly upset while listening to Martin’s speech and struggled to keep his emotions in check.
Martin recounted to Bild that the president "furiously rushed at me… [and] repeatedly accused me of defaming him.” The article noted that Steinmeier ultimately lost his temper and "hit Martin on the head," asserting that he and other “intellectuals” had no understanding of the challenges facing politicians.
A spokesperson for Steinmeier confirmed to Bild that a “contentious” discussion had indeed taken place, but characterized it as “businesslike.”
In related news, reports from the Wall Street Journal and various US and German outlets suggested that a team of six Ukrainian divers on a small yacht had planted the explosives that damaged the Nord Stream pipelines. Russia has dismissed this account as unlikely, with President Putin suggesting that the explosions were carried out by professionals with substantial state support, and that the US was “probably” involved.
Additionally, in September, Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence service accused the US and UK of shaping a narrative through the media that exclusively blamed the attack on Ukrainian extremists.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were constructed beneath the Baltic Sea to supply Russian natural gas directly to Germany, but both were damaged by underwater explosions in September 2022. Prior to these explosions, high-ranking US officials, including President Joe Biden, had voiced substantial disapproval of the projects.
Bild reported that Martin had been invited to speak at an event celebrating Poland's anti-communist revolution at Bellevue Palace in Berlin. During his address, he criticized both former and current senior members of the Social Democratic Party, including Steinmeier, for nurturing closer relations with Russia before the Ukraine conflict escalated in February 2022.
In his remarks, Martin contended that the German government's involvement in the Nord Stream project may have emboldened Russian President Vladimir Putin to initiate his military actions against Ukraine. According to eyewitness accounts shared by the tabloid, Steinmeier appeared visibly upset while listening to Martin’s speech and struggled to keep his emotions in check.
Martin recounted to Bild that the president "furiously rushed at me… [and] repeatedly accused me of defaming him.” The article noted that Steinmeier ultimately lost his temper and "hit Martin on the head," asserting that he and other “intellectuals” had no understanding of the challenges facing politicians.
A spokesperson for Steinmeier confirmed to Bild that a “contentious” discussion had indeed taken place, but characterized it as “businesslike.”
In related news, reports from the Wall Street Journal and various US and German outlets suggested that a team of six Ukrainian divers on a small yacht had planted the explosives that damaged the Nord Stream pipelines. Russia has dismissed this account as unlikely, with President Putin suggesting that the explosions were carried out by professionals with substantial state support, and that the US was “probably” involved.
Additionally, in September, Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence service accused the US and UK of shaping a narrative through the media that exclusively blamed the attack on Ukrainian extremists.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
