WASHINGTON, Sept 28, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - The United States said Tuesday it was
ready to help European allies on energy security after leaks were detected on
the Nord Stream pipelines and said it was assessing whether sabotage was to
blame.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States was looking at
reports that the leaks were "the result of an attack or some kind of
sabotage."

"If it is confirmed, that's clearly in no one's interest," Blinken told
reporters.

"My understanding is the leaks will not have a significant impact on Europe's
energy resilience," Blinken said.

But he added: "What's critical is that we are working day in day out, both on
a short term basis and a long term basis, to address energy security for
Europe and, for that matter, around the world."

He pointed to US efforts to step up shipments of liquified natural gas since
Moscow's invasion of Ukraine as US allies, notably Germany, tried to reduce
their reliance on Russian energy.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan later tweeted that he had spoken
to his "counterpart Jean-Charles Ellermann-Kingombe of Denmark about the
apparent sabotage of Nord Stream pipelines."

"The U.S. is supporting efforts to investigate and we will continue our work
to safeguard Europe's energy security," he added.

A White House official earlier said that "we stand ready to provide support"
to Europeans after the leaks.

Ukraine accused Russia of causing the leaks on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord
Stream 2 pipelines, saying the alleged actions amount to "nothing more than a
terrorist attack."

Photographs taken by the Danish military showed large masses of bubbles on
the surface of the Baltic Sea, while Sweden's seismological institute
reported underwater blasts.