Biden Says Nord Stream Pipeline Damage Was ‘Deliberate Act of Sabotage’

President Joe Biden labeled the damage to Gazprom-led Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines under the Baltic Sea as an intentional “act of sabotage,” telling Russian President Vladimir Putin that the United States and its allies won’t be “intimidated” by his words or threats.

“Let me say this: It was a deliberate act of sabotage, and now the Russians are pumping out disinformation and lies,” Biden told reporters at the White House on Friday. His latest remark rebukes Putin’s claim that the West is responsible for blowing up the pipelines, which carry Russian natural gas to Germany.

“We’re going to work with our allies to get to the bottom of exactly what—precisely what happened. And at my direction, I’ve already begun to help our allies enhance the protection of this critical infrastructure,” the president added. “And at the appropriate moment when things calm down, we’re going to be sending divers down to find out exactly what happened.”

Biden accusing Moscow of spreading “disinformation and lies” likely refers to the Kremlin’s claim that Washington had a motive to blow up the pipelines to sell more liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe.

Vassily Nebenzia, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, told the Security Council on Friday that the United States would “undoubtedly” gain from the destruction of the pipelines, though he stopped short of blaming Washington for this week’s explosions.

Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, speaks to the media at the United Nations headquarters in N.Y.C., on April 4, 2022. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

“American liquefied natural gas suppliers should be celebrating the manifold increase in LNG supplies to Europe,” Nebenzia said.

Also on Friday, Putin directly accused the West of blowing up the Gazprom-led pipelines.

“The sanctions were not enough for the Anglo-Saxons: they moved

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