Overview
- Testifying as the 91st and final witness, Manuela Schwesig rejected claims of Russian influence and said the state followed federal foreign and economic policy.
- She said her government backed the project "out of conviction" to secure affordable energy and affirmed she stands by those decisions, noting the pipeline never entered service after Berlin withheld a licence in February 2022 following Russia’s invasion.
- Lawmakers learned that most of 21 meetings with Nord Stream 2 executives lack protocols or notes, which Schwesig defended by saying only formal decisions require documentation.
- Schwesig emphasized that the project had broad German support, pointing to Angela Merkel’s talks with Joe Biden in 2021 and Peter Altmaier’s steps toward certification shortly before leaving office.
- The Schwerin committee, created in May 2022, now prepares a final report expected by summer 2026 with open issues around the Klimaschutzstiftung MV’s funding structure and coordination with Nord Stream 2.