Russia's Vladimir Putin has claimed that Germany's response to the North Sea pipeline explosions demonstrated that the nation was still "occupied" and unable to act autonomously decades after its capitulation at the conclusion of World War Two.
Putin asserted in an interview with Russian television that European leaders had been forced into giving up their feeling of independence and sovereignty.
“The matter is that European politicians have said themselves publicly that after World War Two, Germany was never a fully sovereign state,” Russian news agencies quoted Putin as telling state Rossiya-1 TV channel.
“The Soviet Union at one point withdrew its forces and ended what amounted to an occupation of the country. But that, as is well known, was not the case with the Americans. They continue to occupy Germany.”
Putin told the interviewer that the blasts were carried out on a “state level” and dismissed as “complete nonsense” suggestions that an autonomous pro-Ukraine group was responsible.
Investigations into the explosions that struck Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines last year have drawn cautious responses from Western nations, including Germany. These nations have stated that they believe the explosions were intentional but have refrained from speculating on who might have been responsible.
The pipelines were built with the intention of bringing Russian gas to Germany, but Berlin has taken steps to reduce its reliance on Russian fuels since Moscow invaded Ukraine a year ago.
Putin asserted in an interview with Russian television that European leaders had been forced into giving up their feeling of independence and sovereignty.
“The matter is that European politicians have said themselves publicly that after World War Two, Germany was never a fully sovereign state,” Russian news agencies quoted Putin as telling state Rossiya-1 TV channel.
“The Soviet Union at one point withdrew its forces and ended what amounted to an occupation of the country. But that, as is well known, was not the case with the Americans. They continue to occupy Germany.”
Putin told the interviewer that the blasts were carried out on a “state level” and dismissed as “complete nonsense” suggestions that an autonomous pro-Ukraine group was responsible.
Investigations into the explosions that struck Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines last year have drawn cautious responses from Western nations, including Germany. These nations have stated that they believe the explosions were intentional but have refrained from speculating on who might have been responsible.
The pipelines were built with the intention of bringing Russian gas to Germany, but Berlin has taken steps to reduce its reliance on Russian fuels since Moscow invaded Ukraine a year ago.
