STORY: The federal government takes control of the East German oil refinery Schwedt and puts the Russian operator Rosneft under trusteeship. In Berlin, Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke of a far-reaching energy policy decision to protect Germany. Because Russia is no longer a reliable supplier of energy. “We didn’t take this decision lightly, but it was unavoidable. The important thing is that the Schwedt site is secured with this decision, I would like to say that in particular to the employees of the refinery and their families. And of course also to the city and the region, because we have put together a package for the future in order to create noticeable structural effects for the city, for the region and for the whole of Brandenburg.” After Rosneft’s disempowerment, the federal and state governments want to invest more than a billion euros in eastern Germany. The industrial location of Leuna in Saxony-Anhalt and the ports in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania should also benefit from this. Schwedt alone should receive funds of 825 million euros. With the trustee solution in Schwedt, Germany is securing its medium and long-term supply of oil, which is supposed to come from other countries in the future. The pipeline from Rostock to Schwedt is important, said Scholz. Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck spoke of a good solution: “I was in Schwedt twice, both times were visits where the tension in the region was clearly noticed and also heard. The discussions there, the talks there, benefited the Federal Government and me too deeply impressed and influenced. The fact that we prepared this step well took time. But I think today one can say that the location for Schwedt is secured and the future is being worked on.” Germany no longer wants to process Russian oil from the end of the year, which has been Rosneft’s business model in Schwedt so far. The Druzhba oil pipeline ends there. In the past few months, a working group had therefore endeavored to supply Schwedt with oil from tankers via Rostock and also the Polish port of Gdansk. Poland had signaled support if Rosneft was no longer in charge in Schwedt.