EU to strengthen protection of energy supply infrastructure
2023.01.11 08:55
EU to strengthen protection of energy supply infrastructure
By Tiffany Smith
Budrigannews.com – In response to Russia’s “weaponizing of energy” and the attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines that occurred last year, the leaders of NATO and the EU announced on Wednesday that they are establishing a task force to enhance the protection of critical infrastructure.
Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, stated that the sabotage of the Russia-to-Germany pipelines in the Baltic Sea in September of last year demonstrated the need “to confront this new type of threat.”
She stated in Brussels alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, “This is a task force where our experts from NATO and the European Union will work hand in hand to identify key threats to our critical infrastructure, to look at the strategic vulnerabilities that we do have.”
Officials in Sweden and Denmark investigating the Nord Stream blasts have not named any potential perpetrators, despite accusations being exchanged between Western and Russian officials.
Von der Leyen stated that the transportation, energy, digital, and space infrastructure proposals would be the task force’s first.
According to officials from the West, the attacks on Nord Stream and the sudden cutoff of gas from Russia since the start of Moscow’s war in Ukraine have shown how many EU and NATO members rely on Russian energy and key infrastructure.
Stoltenberg stated that the task force would be a component of increased cooperation between NATO and the EU just prior to meeting von der Leyen’s Commission to discuss security.
“We have seen both with President Putin’s weaponization of energy and… the sabotage of the North Stream pipelines, resilience and the protection of critical infrastructure are a key part of our joint efforts,” he said.
“We want to collaborate on ways to mitigate potential vulnerabilities and make our critical infrastructure, technology, and supply chains more resistant to potential threats.”
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