NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday attributed the leaks on the Nord Stream pipelines to acts of sabotage and said he had discussed the protection of critical infrastructure in NATO countries with the Danish defense minister.
"Discussed the sabotage on the NorthStream pipelines with Defence Minister Morten Bødskov," he said on Twitter.
"We addressed the protection of critical infrastructure in NATO countries."
Kremlin dismisses 'stupid' claims Russia attacked Nord Stream
The Kremlin on Wednesday said claims that Russia was somehow behind an attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines were stupid, adding that Moscow saw a sharp increase in the profits of US companies supplying gas to Europe.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a daily conference call with reporters that the incident needed to be investigated and the timings for the repair of the damaged pipelines were not clear.
Europe has been investigating what Germany, Denmark and Sweden said were attacks that had caused major leaks into the Baltic Sea from two Russian gas pipelines at the center of an energy standoff.
Edison CEO says it's also due to sabotage
It is very unlikely that gas pipelines like Nord Stream can break down accidentally, Edison Chief Executive Nicola Monti said on Wednesday, adding that it was easy to believe the issues was caused by sabotage.
"These type of pipelines are constantly monitored to prevent corrosion so it is very unlikely that they break down accidentally," Monti said on the sidelines of a business conference in Milan.