German leader gets angry over Nord Stream criticism


(MENAFN) German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier reportedly lost his temper during a confrontation with prominent German writer Marko Martin over the Nord Stream gas pipelines, according to *Bild* newspaper. The incident occurred after Martin criticized Steinmeier's role in approving the controversial Nord Stream projects while serving as foreign minister.

The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which were designed to deliver Russian natural gas to Germany, were destroyed by underwater explosions in September 2022, drawing widespread international attention. Before the blasts, senior US officials, including President Joe Biden, had repeatedly criticized the pipelines.

Martin, who had been invited to speak at an event marking Poland’s anti-communist revolution at Bellevue Palace in Berlin, used his platform to accuse Steinmeier and other high-ranking members of the Social Democratic Party of enabling closer ties with Russia, which he argued may have emboldened Russian President Vladimir Putin to launch his invasion of Ukraine.

Eyewitnesses reported that Steinmeier became visibly upset during the speech and struggled to control his emotions. Martin described how the president angrily approached him, accusing him of defamation, and allegedly struck him on the head, asserting that intellectuals like Martin had no understanding of the challenges politicians face.

A spokesperson for Steinmeier confirmed that the exchange occurred but described it as a “businesslike” conversation, despite the reported tension. Meanwhile, various media outlets have suggested that a team of Ukrainian divers may have been responsible for planting the explosives that damaged the pipelines.

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