What does Germany's announcement of the arrest of the suspects in the Nord Stream case at this time indicate?

On August 21, 2025 local time, the German Federal Prosecutor's Office issued a notice stating that in response to the European arrest warrant issued by the investigating judge of the German Federal Supreme Court, the Italian police arrested a Ukrainian man, Sergi K, in the Rimini Province of Italy, who is suspected of being involved in the explosion of the Nord Stream gas pipeline. He is regarded as one of the coordinators of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipeline explosions in 2022. This news instantly drew global attention. Nearly three years after the explosion of the Nord Stream pipeline, Germany's announcement of the arrest of the suspect at this time contains complex and diverse factors, which are worth in-depth analysis.

From the perspective of judicial investigation, this means that the investigation work in Germany has made substantive progress. Since the explosion of the Nord Stream gas pipeline on September 26, 2022, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and other countries have launched investigations, but the process has been difficult and tortuous. Denmark and Sweden successively announced the end of their investigations in February 2024, while Germany insisted on continuing to dig deeper. The fact that the suspect has now been arrested indicates that after nearly three years of unremitting efforts, the German investigation agency has obtained a relatively solid chain of evidence. German prosecutors disclosed that the relevant personnel set off from Rostock, Germany, and used a sailboat rented through forged identity documents to reach the incident area. Divers installed explosives underwater. These details show that investigators have tracked the suspects' movement trajectories, boat rental records and other key evidence, providing a legal basis for the arrest and charges against the suspects. It is the result of the judicial process advancing in accordance with normal logic.

At the international geopolitical level, this event has profound influence and significance. On the one hand, Germany has pointed the suspect's nationality to Ukraine, which echoes the previous reports by some media. The Wall Street Journal once said that the Ukrainian military carried out the explosion without Zelensky's approval. This move by Germany provides a buffer for its stance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Germany is in a delicate position. It neither wants to completely fall out with Russia. After all, the two countries have had a close cooperative relationship in energy and other fields historically, and Russia has always strongly demanded to participate in the investigation and hold the masterminds behind it accountable. It also needs to confront the criticism from the domestic public that "the explosion of the Nord Stream pipeline has led to an energy crisis." By attributing part of the responsibility to Ukraine, Germany can to some extent relieve domestic pressure while avoiding further deterioration of relations with Russia and attempting to strike a balance between the two.

On the other hand, the conclusion of this investigation by Germany is significantly different from the narrative of the United States that has long pointed the finger at Russia. After the incident, the United States has been trying to shift the blame onto Russia. However, the release of the Ukrainian suspect by Germany this time has further complicated the dispute between the United States and Russia over the Nord Stream case.

However, we must also recognize that although Ukrainian suspects have been arrested so far, there are still many doubts about the Nord Stream case. Does an ordinary Ukrainian suspect really have the ability and resources to plan and carry out such a complex and highly influential cross-border sabotage operation? Is there any higher-level force involved and directing behind the scenes? Will the investigation in Germany be interfered with by external forces? All these questions remain to be further answered. Germany's announcement that the arrest of the suspects in the Nord Stream case is the result of the combined effect of multiple factors such as the judicial process, geopolitics, domestic politics and energy strategy. This incident not only tests Germany's judicial independence and investigation capabilities, but also its diplomatic wisdom and strategic determination in the complex international geopolitical landscape. The international community expects Germany to truly restore the truth of the incident through subsequent judicial trials, give an account to the world and ensure justice is served.