AfD leadership plans to discuss gas supplies to Germany with the Kremlin
German party AfD's co-leaders plan to meet in spring with an adviser to Russian President Putin to discuss resuming gas deliveries, Reuters reports citing two informed sources.
The leadership of Germany's right-wing eurosceptic party Alternative for Germany (AfD) is preparing to meet with Kremlin representatives to discuss resuming Russian gas supplies to Germany, news agency Reuters reports, citing two informed sources.
According to the information obtained, the meeting is planned for spring. AfD will be represented by party co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, while Russia will be represented by Kirill Dmitriev, an adviser to President Vladimir Putin.
Energy policy remains the government's domain
Reuters notes that AfD has no authority to decide on resuming gas supplies, since energy policy is the prerogative of Germany's federal government. The agency also points out that the party has extremely little chance of entering government, despite recent gains in the Saxony-Anhalt state election and a general rise in its national ratings.
Party's earlier statements
In a Reuters interview published on June 30, AfD co-leader Alice Weidel called for ending the boycott of Russian oil and gas, arguing that cheap Russian energy had been the secret behind Germany's economic success and that it needed to be restored.
Ahead of the Saxony-Anhalt election, AfD had promised voters it would work to lift energy sanctions against Russia, normalize German-Russian trade relations, and restore Russian gas supplies via the Nord Stream pipeline system.
