AfD politicians travel to Russia

Several well-known AfD politicians are planning to travel to Russia for a conference next week. They are the members of the Bundestag Steffen Kotré and Rainer Rothfuß, the Saxon state party leader Jörg Urban and probably also the MEP Hans Neuhoff.

An AfD parliamentary group spokesperson in Berlin confirmed the participation of Kotré and Rothfuß. Urban's participation was confirmed to Deutsche Presse-Agentur by the AfD parliamentary group in Saxony. Neuhoff's trip was not officially confirmed at first, but was confirmed in party circles.

The ARD main studio and the news portal "t-online" had previously reported on the planned visit of the two members of the Bundestag to the event in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, and "t-online" also reported on the possible participation of Urban and Neuhoff. According to the Saxon AfD parliamentary group, the event is the "Brics Europe Symposium". According to the program, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will also be taking part.

"The Russia sanctions are very damaging to our country. As soon as the AfD is in government, we will abolish them," said Urban on his participation in the visit.

Meeting with Medvedev

According to information from t-online, at least part of the delegation is also planning a meeting with Medvedev, who is currently the deputy head of the Russian Security Council and often plays the role of an agitator in Moscow's communications. Rothfuß told the portal that he would take part in a discussion round with Medvedev on the evening before the conference. The meeting with him last year was already a "worthwhile appointment" and provided a "differentiated and intensive view".

Kotré told dpa: "We are looking after German interests that the German government is no longer pursuing: low-cost energy supplies, peace diplomacy, contacts with representatives of the Brics states. I don't have the exact schedule yet." Kotré had also previously appeared on the talk show of Russian TV propagandist Vladimir Solovyov.

The abbreviation Brics stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - but the group of states now also includes other countries.

Contacts between the AfD and Russia repeatedly make the headlines and attract criticism, also against the backdrop of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. It was only on Wednesday that there was a debate in the Bundestag about the AfD's relationship with Russia. Speakers from the coalition and the Greens accused the party of acting as a Kremlin stooge.

Links to Russia and maintaining contact with Trump

"The parliamentary group leadership sees the trip as an opportunity to keep the channels of communication with Russia open in addition to the intensive political contacts in the USA," said the AfD parliamentary group spokesperson. This is in line with the AfD parliamentary group's view that talks with all international parties are the basis for peaceful coexistence. The parliamentary group's executive committee had agreed to the trip, with the group bearing the costs.

Several leading AfD politicians have recently been to the USA. According to its own information, the AfD maintains contacts with the government of President Donald Trump and the Republicans. Vice President JD Vance also demonstratively supported the party before the federal election and met Weidel on the fringes of the Munich Security Conference. On Wednesday, Alex Bruesewitz, Trump's social media advisor, visited the AfD parliamentary group in Berlin and took part in a discussion event.