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Nord Stream: Germany's thwarted dream of energy security

Killian Bayer
August 21, 2025

Nord Stream delivered Russian gas directly to Germany via underwater pipelines in the Baltic Sea. When Russia invaded Ukraine, Vladimir Putin cut supplies in response to European sanctions. Not long after, sabotage brought the geopolitical project to a permanent halt.

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Nord Stream, once seen as the future of European energy security, collapsed amid war and geopolitical tensions.

The German-Russian pipeline project became Europe's largest source of Russian gas, but after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, gas supplies were cut and three of four pipelines were destroyed, plunging Germany and Europe into an energy crisis.