GERMANY - The complex trial of Serhii Kuznetsov, who was extradited to Germany to face justice after his arrest in Italy in August 2025, risks driving a wedge between Ukraine and one of its closest allies. While Berlin has distanced itself from the trial, it is set to be an awkward moment in German-Ukrainian relations as it may reveal the extent to which Kyiv was involved in the attack on the $20 billion (£15 billion) pipeline. The allegation, if proven, could be immensely difficult for the German government, as it continues to approve billions of euros in financial and military support for Ukraine. It will serve as a propaganda boost for the Kremlin, which has always maintained its innocence of being behind the Nord Stream sabotage. And it may also embolden pro-Russian politicians in Germany, such as those in the hard-Right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, who have intensified calls to scrap all support for Kyiv. Why, they would ask, should Germany send a single euro to the country that blew up a critical element of Germany’s energy infrastructure?