AfD confirms talks with Gazprom on resuming Russian gas supplies to Germany
The far-right German party Alternative for Germany (AfD) confirmed it is negotiating with Gazprom about the possible resumption of Russian natural gas deliveries to Germany. AfD's foreign policy spokesperson Markus Frohnmaier met with Gazprom chairman Alexei Miller in Russia, and deputy faction chair Beatrix von Storch told DW the party wants to resume trade with Moscow to secure affordable energy.
Key points
- AfD representatives confirmed negotiations with Gazprom on resuming Russian gas supplies to Germany
- AfD foreign policy spokesperson Markus Frohnmaier met with Gazprom chairman Alexei Miller in Russia
- Deputy faction chair Beatrix von Storch confirmed the talks to Deutsche Welle and said AfD wants to resume trade with Russia for affordable energy
- On 9 September, AfD co-chair Alice Weidel told the Bundestag Germany needs cheap Russian natural gas and that AfD would work toward that
- Weidel placed responsibility for the September 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage on Ukraine
- AfD leads German federal polls with 29% support
- Before Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia supplied more than half of Germany's natural gas imports
Why it matters
AfD, leading German polls with 29% support, has officially confirmed contacts with Gazprom on resuming Russian gas deliveries. The talks touch on the strategic question of Europe's energy dependence on Russia, and AfD's leadership publicly frames the push for renewed trade as serving German economic interests and concerns about escalation.
What happened
AfD confirmed that it is negotiating with Gazprom about the possible resumption of Russian gas supplies to Germany. AfD foreign policy spokesperson Markus Frohnmaier travelled to Russia and met with Gazprom chairman Alexei Miller. Deputy faction chair Beatrix von Storch confirmed the talks in an interview with Deutsche Welle, saying the party is interested in restoring trade with Moscow to obtain affordable energy and a broader range of suppliers. She acknowledged, however, that Germany's foreign policy is set by the incumbent federal government, not the opposition. On 9 September, during general debates in the Bundestag, AfD co-chair Alice Weidel said Germany needs cheap Russian natural gas and that AfD would work toward that; she also indirectly placed responsibility for the September 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage on the Ukrainian authorities. Reuters separately reported that Kirill Dmitriev, an economic adviser to Vladimir Putin, and AfD leadership have begun preparations for a meeting on possible resumption of Russian gas supplies, with Reuters sources suggesting it could take place in March 2027.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
The available coverage is from a Ukrainian-language outlet, which frames the AfD–Gazprom talks as a resonant story and highlights the links between the German far-right party and Russia.
Background
Alice Weidel used the 9 September Bundestag debate to argue for cheap Russian gas and to blame Ukraine for the September 2022 Nord Stream sabotage. Beatrix von Storch noted that Germany's foreign policy is set by the incumbent federal government. AfD leads German federal polls at 29%, and Bild reported the party could triple its Bundestag seats in upcoming elections. Germany is in an election cycle. Before Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia supplied more than a third of Germany's crude oil imports and more than half of its natural gas imports. In April 2026, AfD said it wanted to resume operation of the Russian Nord Stream pipeline; in May 2026, it opposed the transfer to Ukraine of a decommissioned gas power plant in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. AfD lawmaker Leif-Erik Holm has said that after the war in Ukraine ends, Germany–Russia relations could normalize and 'Europe will buy Russian gas again.'