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Schwesig: I made two mistakes with Nord Stream
Manuela Schwesig (SPD), Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, speaks at a press conference. Photo: Bernd Wüstneck/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
After six weeks of illness, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig is making public appearances again – and admits errors in the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) has described her years of support for the Russian natural gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 as a mistake.
«With today’s knowledge, supporting Nord Stream 2 and the foundation was a mistake. And I made the same mistake, »said Schwesig on Wednesday in Schwerin at her first public appearance after a six-week illness.
These errors should now be fixed. It is good that Nord Stream 2 has been stopped and that the foundation should be wound up, “even if it is legally difficult”. In addition, ways and means are being sought to allow Ukraine to benefit from the 20 million euros that Nord Stream 2 brought to the climate protection foundation.
Ukrainian ambassador demands consequences
Schwesig’s admission did not go far enough for the Ukrainian ambassador in Germany, Andriy Melnyk: “And that’s it? Admitting mistakes is good. Drawing political consequences and honestly dealing with the Nord Stream 2 disaster – also from a German point of view – are two different things,” he tweeted on Wednesday. Melnyk had previously accused Schwesig of hypocrisy because of the statements of solidarity with Ukraine.
She had stuck to her pro-Russia course longer than most other politicians in her own party. One reason: the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, through which Russian natural gas has been flowing for more than ten years, reaches the German mainland in Lubmin in Western Pomerania. Nord Stream 2 should also land there. Against increasing resistance, she vehemently advocated the commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and campaigned for the establishment of a climate protection foundation financed with Russian money, which also ensured that the pipeline could be completed while circumventing US sanctions .
Schwesig reiterated that she had always been of the opinion that it was basically the right thing to keep in touch, even with difficult partners. “I stand by the fact that we had a dialogue with the Leningrad region,” said Schwesig. It was about economic, scientific and cultural cooperation, and Nord Stream 2 belonged to the Leningrad Region.
However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24 fundamentally changed Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s relationship with Russia. “It is clear that Putin is destroying this dialogue with his brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. Like many others, I could not have imagined that he would do that, »said Schwesig.