NATO members are planning to build a €21 billion pipeline system to ensure a rapid supply of jet fuel for fighter aircraft in the event of a war with Russia, weekly German magazine Der Spiegel has reported.
The proposed pipeline will run through Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, NATO has been preparing for a potential conflict with Moscow.
In response to the Russian threat, the western military alliance has strengthened deterrence measures and deployed additional troops and weapon systems along its eastern flank.
Concerns have intensified in recent days following the start of U.S.-Russia negotiations on ending the Ukraine war, which do not involve either Kyiv or European nations.
EU member states within NATO fear that any peace settlement favoring Moscow could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin to pursue further military aggression in the region, threatening Europe’s security.
A NATO general told Der Spiegel that in a defensive scenario, supply routes would be “our Achilles’ heel.”
He said that while ammunition and spare parts could be delivered to the front by aircraft if necessary, the massive fuel consumption would make this impractical.
An internal memo from the German Armed Forces, cited by the weekly, said there are “significant issues with the sustainable fuel supply for forces that would need to be deployed to the eastern border in case of emergency.”
“The demand is enormous,” the memo stresses.
NATO’s existing fuel pipeline network, dating back to the Cold War era, runs through Germany. However, due to the division of Germany between East and West during that time, the pipelines were only extended through West Germany, where they remain today.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, NATO has been preparing for a potential conflict with Moscow.
In response to the Russian threat, the western military alliance has strengthened deterrence measures and deployed additional troops and weapon systems along its eastern flank.
Concerns have intensified in recent days following the start of U.S.-Russia negotiations on ending the Ukraine war, which do not involve either Kyiv or European nations.
EU member states within NATO fear that any peace settlement favoring Moscow could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin to pursue further military aggression in the region, threatening Europe’s security.
‘The demand is enormous’
A NATO general told Der Spiegel that in a defensive scenario, supply routes would be “our Achilles’ heel.”
He said that while ammunition and spare parts could be delivered to the front by aircraft if necessary, the massive fuel consumption would make this impractical.
An internal memo from the German Armed Forces, cited by the weekly, said there are “significant issues with the sustainable fuel supply for forces that would need to be deployed to the eastern border in case of emergency.”
“The demand is enormous,” the memo stresses.
NATO’s existing fuel pipeline network, dating back to the Cold War era, runs through Germany. However, due to the division of Germany between East and West during that time, the pipelines were only extended through West Germany, where they remain today.
As NATO has expanded to include former Warsaw Pact countries, the alliance’s frontline has shifted further east, emphasizing the need for an upgraded and interconnected pipeline system.
The project is estimated to cost €21 billion ($22 billion), with the pipeline expected to be largely completed by 2035, Der Spiegel reported.
NATO had initially planned to approve the pipeline expansion by the summer of 2025, but the project was halted after uncertainty surrounding funding increased following Trump’s return to the White House.
While most costs are meant to be covered collectively by NATO, concerns are growing in Brussels that Trump may demand higher contributions from European allies.
Concerns over funding
The project is estimated to cost €21 billion ($22 billion), with the pipeline expected to be largely completed by 2035, Der Spiegel reported.
NATO had initially planned to approve the pipeline expansion by the summer of 2025, but the project was halted after uncertainty surrounding funding increased following Trump’s return to the White House.
While most costs are meant to be covered collectively by NATO, concerns are growing in Brussels that Trump may demand higher contributions from European allies.
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