Greenpeace Takes Nord Stream to Court! "There Is No Going Back to Trading Russian Gas"
Warsaw, 5 August 2026 - Greenpeace is taking legal action to fight attempts to restore Russian gas imports to the EU. On Wednesday, August 5, the Foundation filed an application to join the proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union, which were initiated by Gazprom-owned Nord Stream 2 AG. For years, Greenpeace has been fighting to stop the trade in Russian fossil fuels, which drive climate change and Putin's war machine.
Greenpeace activists holding a banner at Nord Stream 2 in September 2025. © Mariusz Czajka/Greenpeace
"At this very moment, Russian missiles are falling on Ukraine, while hundreds of thousands of people across Europe are forced to flee record forest fires. For years, we have been repeating to politicians that gas dependence has disastrous consequences not only for the climate, but also for our security. It is like pouring petrol on a fire. It was only the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and subsequent energy crises that somewhat sobered up politicians. However, Putin is still trying to get his way. We will not let him; we will defend the regulations on phasing out Russian fuel imports by every possible means," says Paweł Szypulski, Programme Director at Greenpeace Poland.
At the beginning of June, Vladimir Putin publicly called for the launch of Nord Stream, arguing that for one of the pipeline's strings, it was "a matter of pressing a single button." Simultaneously, Gazprom-owned Nord Stream 2 AG challenged the EU ban on Russian gas imports before the Court of Justice of the EU, demanding its annulment. Its potential victory would be a blow to the security and energy transition of the entire European Union. The proceedings initiated by Nord Stream 2 AG represent the first direct challenge to an EU ban on Russian gas brought by a private company. The company wrongly undermines the European Union's right to pursue measures aimed at energy security and independence from fossil fuels.
"For years, Ukraine has been paying the highest price for Europe's dependence on gas—the price of thousands of lives lost to Russian aggression. This war would not exist if it were not for the billions earned by the Kremlin from trading oil, gas, and coal. Lifting the regulations restricting the trade in Russian raw materials would be a shot in the foot for Europe, as Putin's imperial ambitions reach far beyond Ukraine alone," emphasizes Natalia Gozak, Director of Greenpeace Ukraine.
On August 5, 2026, Greenpeace Poland submitted an application to the General Court of the European Union based in Luxembourg—the constituent court of the CJEU—seeking leave to intervene in case Nord Stream 2 AG v Parliament and Council (T-264/26). The objective of Greenpeace's action is to defend the provisions establishing the phase-out of Russian gas imports into the European Union (Regulation (EU) 2026/261).
"European politicians seemingly understood that relying on gas from Russia was a mistake, yet at the same time they naively believe that the solution to this problem is gas from America or Qatar. For several years, our politicians have been sinking tens of billions of euros into gas energy. We risk getting stuck in a gas trap for decades. Real security and independence will be provided to us by renewable energy sources. Every wind turbine, every solar panel, and every energy storage facility strengthens our energy security. The war in Ukraine also shows that such decentralized energy systems are far more resilient to attacks. 90% of Ukrainian coal and gas power plants have been destroyed by the Russians. Renewable energy sources are simply harder to hit," says Marek Józefiak, spokesperson and environmental policy expert at Greenpeace Poland.
The decision to take legal steps in defense of the regulation on phasing out Russian gas imports is a continuation of Greenpeace's long-standing, uncompromising efforts to stop Nord Stream and free Europe from Russian fossil fuels.
Additional Information
The intensification of Greenpeace's activities began during the very first days of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Activists called for an embargo on Russian coal, gas, and oil, unfolded massive protest banners in spectacular actions, protested aboard tankers carrying Russian oil, and co-organized marches and demonstrations.
They demanded sanctions against Russia from world leaders: US President Joe Biden and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Warsaw in March 2022, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in April 2022, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in May 2022. In June 2022, Greenpeace divers descended to a depth of 48 meters to the bottom of the Baltic Sea right next to the Nord Stream 1 pipelines, demanding a gas embargo. In September 2025, Polish activists dived near the Nord Stream 2 pipeline with a banner reading "No Nord Stream, no fossil gas", and in October 2025, they participated in blocking a tanker carrying Russian gas at the LNG terminal in Zeebrugge, opposing Europe's dependence on gas not just from Russia, but also from the US. Greenpeace has also been raising awareness about the issue of the shadow fleet operating in the Baltic Sea.
Notes
Image gallery of a Greenpeace action at Nord Stream 2 in September 2025: https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenpeacepl/albums/72177720328880736/
Further information
Marek Józefiak
Spokesperson and environmental policy expert
Greenpeace Poland
marek.jozefiak@greenpeace.org
0048 539544538