26.08.2025 Denmark's Statement on the 9986 TIPS Briefing
Checked Against Delivery
Thank you, Mr. President.
I extend my appreciation to ASG Jenca for his briefing.
Allow me to focus on a number of points:
We have full confidence in the ability of German authorities to conduct their investigation. It is important that we let this investigation run its course. We see no reason to question the impartiality, thoroughness, or scope of the German investigation.
Recent developments only lend further weight to its credibility.
Time and time again we have heard the Russian Federation state that this investigation is going nowhere, which is clearly not the case.
If we are genuinely committed to uncovering the truth, the right course of action is therefore to support the ongoing process, as Denmark has been by cooperating with German authorities as we would in any other investigation, sharing relevant information in line with the principles of mutual international legal assistance.
Let me recall that the explosions on pipelines connecting Russia and Germany took place in international waters.
However, as one of the explosions took place within the Danish EEZ, our independent authorities conducted an investigation into the incident. During the investigations, the Danish authorities collaborated closely with international partners. Based on their findings, they concluded that the pipelines had been deliberately sabotaged, while at the same time assessing that there was not sufficient grounds to pursue a criminal case in Denmark.
This reflects the standard and proper way for such cases to be handled among partners and the investigation were conducted in line with fundamental rule of law principles.
Mr. President,
Denmark has fully cooperated with this Council. From September 2022 until today, Denmark, alongside Germany and Sweden, has kept the Council consistently informed about the investigation process through seven joint letters.
In addition to keeping this Council informed, we have also provided updates to the Russian authorities bilaterally through numerous diplomatic notes, outlining the incident and the investigation’s progress.
To assert otherwise is not only inaccurate but an unacceptable misrepresentation of the facts.
Denmark further notes that one Council member today have called for an international investigation into the Nord Stream sabotage.
While we recognize that such investigations may in certain circumstances be a valuable tool, they should only be considered by the Council in exceptional cases. This could be warranted in situations where the national investigations are somehow lacking. However, we don’t see any substantiation for this in the case at hand. Quite on the contrary we seem to be meeting today exactly because we have progress in an ongoing national criminal investigation.
Mr. President,
It would not be appropriate nor helpful for the Council to prejudice outcome of Germany’s ongoing national investigation, which remains robust, independent, and yet to be concluded. Frankly, we are puzzled as to why we are today spending the Council’s valuable time and resources discussing the issue of a national criminal investigation prior to its conclusion.
Since the Nord Stream explosions occurred in international waters, any state – including the Russian Federation – is entitled to conduct its own investigation in full compliance with international law. Denmark never rejected the Russian Federation these rights. On the contrary, Denmark has provided updates to the Russian authorities throughout the process. No one is placing obstacles to a Russian investigation. Indeed, the operators of the pipelines, the two Nord Stream companies, of which Russia is a major shareholder, have already conducted such investigations.
Finally, Mr. President to conclude,
It is difficult not to address Russia’s glaring hypocrisy in calling this briefing.
The Council has held numerous meetings on Nord Stream despite the fact that serious investigations are clearly still ongoing.
Moreover, Russia repeatedly demands the Council’s attention on the incidents relating to Nord Stream pipelines, while at the same time systematically attacking and decimating Ukraine’s critical infrastructure militarily. Russia’s actions in Ukraine – in clear violation of international humanitarian law – continue to have a devastating impact on millions of Ukrainians every day. And it, frankly, makes the great concern expressed by Russia on infrastructure today sound rather hollow.
Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine is, in fact, the real issue of urgency for this Council. This is the real threat to international peace and stability.
I thank you.