German president angered by Nord Stream situation, reports Bild
Marko Martin asserts that Frank-Walter Steinmeier became too aggressive following criticisms regarding his backing of gas pipeline construction. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Marko Martin has claimed that German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier became overly emotional following his critique of Steinmeier's endorsement of the Nord Stream gas pipelines. According to a report by Bild, the altercation took place after Martin called out the longtime politician for supporting the projects during his tenure as foreign minister.
The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were constructed to transport Russian natural gas directly to Germany, spanning the Baltic Sea. Both pipelines were damaged by underwater explosions in September 2022.
Before those incidents, high-ranking US officials, including President Joe Biden, had publicly voiced their disapproval of the initiatives.
In a piece published on Friday, Bild detailed how Martin had been invited to speak at a commemoration of Poland's democratic revolution at Bellevue Palace in Berlin. During this event, Martin purportedly launched sharp critiques against both former and current leaders of the Social Democratic Party, including Steinmeier.
The writer specifically called out these officials for building closer relations with Russia prior to the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022.
In addressing the president, Martin maintained that the German government's involvement in Nord Stream might have emboldened Russian President Vladimir Putin to initiate military action against Ukraine.
Eyewitnesses reported that Steinmeier became visibly upset while listening to Martin's remarks and struggled to contain his emotions. Martin recounted to Bild that the “president furiously rushed at me… [and] repeatedly accused me of defaming him.” According to the article, Steinmeier eventually lost his composure and "hit Martin on the head," asserting that he and other “intellectuals” were ignorant of the challenges faced by politicians.
A representative for the German president confirmed to Bild that a “contentious” discussion did occur but characterized it as “businesslike.”
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal, along with various US and German media outlets, suggested that a team of six Ukrainian divers had used a small yacht to plant the explosives that damaged the Nord Stream pipelines. Russia, however, has dismissed this narrative as unlikely, with President Putin contending that the explosions were orchestrated by professionals backed by “the full might of the state,” implying that the US was “probably” involved.
In September, Russia's SVR foreign intelligence service also accused the US and UK of "promoting the narrative [in the media] that the attack was conducted exclusively by Ukrainian extremists."
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were constructed to transport Russian natural gas directly to Germany, spanning the Baltic Sea. Both pipelines were damaged by underwater explosions in September 2022.
Before those incidents, high-ranking US officials, including President Joe Biden, had publicly voiced their disapproval of the initiatives.
In a piece published on Friday, Bild detailed how Martin had been invited to speak at a commemoration of Poland's democratic revolution at Bellevue Palace in Berlin. During this event, Martin purportedly launched sharp critiques against both former and current leaders of the Social Democratic Party, including Steinmeier.
The writer specifically called out these officials for building closer relations with Russia prior to the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022.
In addressing the president, Martin maintained that the German government's involvement in Nord Stream might have emboldened Russian President Vladimir Putin to initiate military action against Ukraine.
Eyewitnesses reported that Steinmeier became visibly upset while listening to Martin's remarks and struggled to contain his emotions. Martin recounted to Bild that the “president furiously rushed at me… [and] repeatedly accused me of defaming him.” According to the article, Steinmeier eventually lost his composure and "hit Martin on the head," asserting that he and other “intellectuals” were ignorant of the challenges faced by politicians.
A representative for the German president confirmed to Bild that a “contentious” discussion did occur but characterized it as “businesslike.”
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal, along with various US and German media outlets, suggested that a team of six Ukrainian divers had used a small yacht to plant the explosives that damaged the Nord Stream pipelines. Russia, however, has dismissed this narrative as unlikely, with President Putin contending that the explosions were orchestrated by professionals backed by “the full might of the state,” implying that the US was “probably” involved.
In September, Russia's SVR foreign intelligence service also accused the US and UK of "promoting the narrative [in the media] that the attack was conducted exclusively by Ukrainian extremists."
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
