Overview

• Thuringia’s Mario Voigt said the meeting produced a deal to hold a joint investors' conference with the economics and defense ministries to spur projects in the East.
• Defense Minister Boris Pistorius ruled out legally binding regional quotas for armaments contracts under procurement law but backed the conference to explore viable investments.
• Chancellor Friedrich Merz promised tighter engagement with the eastern premiers and support from federal special funds for investment and climate projects, while noting limited sway over private site decisions.
• Eastern leaders pressed for energy relief and implementation fixes, including the pledged cut to electricity tax, more support for geothermal projects, and measures to boost acceptance of new wind sites.
• Industry voices at the Leipzig energy forum urged faster renewables, grid expansion, and flexibility tools, warned against a broad push for new gas plants, and highlighted long wind permitting times, such as 44 months in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.