Merz accuses Russia of supporting Germany's far-right AfD, offers no evidence
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a speech in Münster that Russia supports the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, without providing concrete evidence. The remarks came at the International Westphalian Peace Prize ceremony, whose 2025 laureate is NATO, and follow a sharp drop in support for Merz's CDU in two regional elections.
Key points
- Merz made the accusation on October 1 in Münster at the International Westphalian Peace Prize ceremony; NATO is the 2025 laureate.
- According to Merz, Moscow seeks to split German society, weaken aid to Ukraine and stop investment in defence.
- Merz did not provide concrete evidence of alleged Russian support for AfD.
- ARD exit polls: AfD 37%, SPD 35.5%, CDU 5.5% in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern; in Berlin, Die Linke 24.5%, CDU 20%, AfD 16%.
- Merz called the CDU's result in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern a "catastrophe" and promised to accelerate reforms.
- AfD has won two regional elections in the previous month and leads major nationwide polls; the party advocates ending German military aid to Ukraine and resuming Russian gas imports.
- No public evidence has been cited that Russia funds AfD or directs its political course, though some individual AfD politicians have had contacts with pro-Russian networks.
Why it matters
The leader of Europe's largest economy publicly alleged Russian backing for a major German political force, linking German domestic politics directly to the war in Ukraine. The accusation lands while the AfD is riding strong polling and recent regional wins, adding to pressure on Merz's CDU ahead of a difficult political year.
What happened
Speaking on October 1 in Münster at the International Westphalian Peace Prize ceremony — whose 2025 laureate is NATO — Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Russia supports the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. According to Merz, Moscow's goal is to split German society, weaken aid to Ukraine and halt defence investment. He did not present concrete evidence for the claim. The speech came days after regional elections in which the CDU slumped to 5.5% in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern behind the AfD's 37%, and trailed both Die Linke (24.5%) and the AfD (16%) in Berlin. Merz called the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern result a "catastrophe" and pledged to accelerate reforms. The remarks followed a roughly 20-minute meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly between German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, after which Merz said Berlin would continue focusing on support for Ukraine. Bloomberg reported Merz's accusations.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Both Ukrainian sources frame the story around Merz's accusation of Russian support for AfD, and one leads with the Westphalian Peace Prize ceremony as the setting. Ukrainian coverage presents Merz's remarks as a German leader publicly blaming Moscow for influence operations that are directly relevant to the future of German military aid to Ukraine, given AfD's stated positions on Ukraine and Russian energy.
Where reporting differs
Reporting presents Merz's accusation of Russian support for the AfD as unsubstantiated: no concrete evidence was offered, and the same coverage notes that while individual AfD politicians have had contacts with pro-Russian networks, no public evidence shows Russia funds the party or dictates its political course.
Background
The International Westphalian Peace Prize is awarded in Münster, one of the cities where the 1648 Peace of Westphalia treaties ending the Thirty Years' War were signed. NATO is the 2025 laureate. AfD's stated positions include ending German military aid to Ukraine and resuming imports of Russian gas; the party has won two regional elections in the previous month and leads major nationwide polls. Merz's recent statements that Russia shows no interest in serious negotiations on Ukraine followed Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul's meeting with Sergei Lavrov at the UN General Assembly, after which Lavrov spoke dismissively about the exchange.