The defense of NGO funding by the government of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and State Premier Manuela Schwesig has an ambiguous ring in this particular case, because it was precisely in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania that organizations of this type were used in the most cynical manner imaginable to advance Russian-German political goals.
The Climate Foundation Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was established in 2021 with the purpose of completing construction despite US sanctions. The foundation was supported by the state government and by Nord Stream 2 AG. This NGO was a political maneuver aimed at circumventing sanctions imposed on the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline by the Americans during the final phase of Donald Trump's first term. Already at the time, mainly Polish critics saw in it not an ecological initiative but rather a mechanism supporting Russian-German interests.
The state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania contributed capital of 200,000 euros to the foundation. Nord Stream 2 AG, a subsidiary of Gazprom, disbursed 20 million euros, constituting the financial base of the organization.
Former Minister-President of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Erwin Sellering became the foundation's chairman, and Katja Enderlein (Economic Development Agency) also joined leadership. The chair of the foundation's board of trustees was Manuela Schwesig (SPD) herself. The board of trustees oversaw strategic decision-making.
Officially, the foundation supported environmental projects such as reforestation, nature reserves, and educational programs. In practice, however, only a few projects were realized — for example, a grant of 1.5 million euros for conservation activities on the Peenemünde heath.
The Climate Foundation Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania established a subsidiary, Nord Stream 2 Supply MV GmbH, which served as an intermediary in pipeline construction. The company coordinated construction work and material deliveries in order to circumvent American sanctions, operating as a German company under a governmental umbrella.
After the completion of Nord Stream 2, the remaining funds in the foundation (approximately 20 million euros from Gazprom) were frozen and partially used for humanitarian aid in Ukraine. Supply MV GmbH was liquidated.
In 2022–2023, the state parliament established an investigative committee to examine the circumstances of the foundation's creation and Manuela Schwesig's legal responsibility. The final report criticized the lack of transparency and flawed political decisions, but found no clear violations of the law.
[Aleksandra Fedorska is a journalist for Tysol.pl and numerous Polish and German media outlets]
