The co-leader of Germany's right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Alice Weidel, has called on Ukraine to compensate Germany for the destruction of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, arguing that the country should be held accountable for the economic damage caused by the 2022 sabotage. 

 

Speaking at a party event on Tuesday, Weidel criticised Chancellor Friedrich Merz's proposal to grant Ukraine associate membership of the European Union, describing the country as a "bottomless pit" whose financial requirements see no end. 

 

"Germany has already transferred more than €100bn to Ukraine over the past four years alone," she said. 
The Nord Stream pipelines, built to transport Russian natural gas directly to Germany via the Baltic Sea, were severely damaged by a series of explosions in September 2022, cutting off a major energy route between Russia and Europe. 

 

German investigators have linked the operation to a small group of Ukrainian operatives, with authorities alleging that the suspected organiser of the attack was extradited from Italy to Germany last year as part of the ongoing investigation. 

 

Russia has consistently challenged that explanation, arguing that an operation of such complexity could not have been carried out by a handful of individuals in heavily monitored NATO waters without broader state involvement. 
Weidel said Ukraine should first provide answers regarding its alleged role in the attack before receiving further political or financial support from Berlin. 

 

"We need to know how this state-terrorist act against the most important infrastructure we had, namely the Nord Stream pipelines, came about and what role Ukraine played in it," she said. 

 

She argued that the financial relationship between Germany and Ukraine should be reversed. "The flow of payments should actually be moving in the opposite direction. Ukraine must pay reparations to the Federal Republic of Germany, because we have suffered enormous damage – and so has Europe as a whole – from the loss of cheap Russian fossil fuels," Weidel said. 

The AfD leader also called for an immediate end to German military and financial assistance to Ukraine, urging the government to focus on encouraging negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow and rebuilding diplomatic channels with Russia.

 

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US President Donald Trump warned Wednesday that Iran will “pay the price” for the delays in negotiations, marking a sharp shift in tone after weeks of expressing optimism about a potential agreement since the ceasefire was announced on April 7. 

 

He even threatened Iran, suggesting that Iran had a chance to sign a deal and "survive.” In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Iran is all talk and no action. The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!! They’ve taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!

Trump did not specify what actions the United States might take. His comments came after the US launched a new wave of strikes against Iran following the downing of an Army Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. 

 

Speaking to Fox News on Wednesday, Trump suggested additional military action remained possible. “I may keep going,” Trump said. “They had a chance to sign a deal and survive.” 

 

The president also provided new details about the helicopter incident, saying an Iranian drone struck the AH-64 gunship.According to Trump, the drone was already on fire when it became lodged between the two pilots but did not explode. The pilots were able to bring the helicopter down safely and escape. 

 

Trump’s latest remarks contrast sharply with his recent statements on diplomatic talks. Over the past several weeks, he repeatedly suggested that a deal with Iran was close. 

 

As recently as Monday, he told reporters that an agreement could be reached within “two or three days” and

expressed reluctance about renewed military operations, citing concerns over casualties and the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz. 

 

“If we do the bombing, you know, a lot of people are going to be killed. Who wants to do that? I don’t,” Trump said Tuesday. 

 

Despite the renewed military pressure, diplomatic efforts continue. A Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran on Wednesday in an attempt to bridge differences between the two sides and revive negotiations. 

 

It remains unclear whether Trump’s warning is intended to increase pressure on Iran during ongoing talks or signals a willingness to escalate military action.

 

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