Overview
- In nearly 14 hours of testimony, Manuela Schwesig rejected allegations of Russian influence and said Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern acted within federal foreign and economic policy.
- She called her pipeline engagement a mistake in hindsight yet maintained she stood by the decisions taken at the time for secure and affordable energy.
- The committee noted significant documentation gaps, with no minutes for most of her 21 meetings with Nord Stream figures; Schwesig said there was no duty to record every discussion.
- The Klimaschutzstiftung MV, created in early 2021 with €200,000 from the state and about €20 million from Nord Stream 2 AG, helped shield and complete construction under U.S. sanctions pressure.
- The CDU criticized her account as evasive and disputed her claim of alignment with Berlin, while the inquiry now moves to drafting a final report due by summer 2026.