A senior figure from Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has met top Russian officials and called for the reopening of the Nord Stream pipeline, challenging Berlin’s stance on Moscow amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Markus Frohnmaier, the AfD’s parliamentary foreign policy spokesperson and a Bundestag lawmaker, attended the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), where he held talks with senior figures in Russia’s energy and investment establishment despite warnings from Germany’s foreign ministry.
Frohnmaier said he met Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller and Kirill Dmitriev, a senior adviser on investment and economic cooperation to President Vladimir Putin, according to Interfax news agency. Both Miller and Dmitrie are subject to Western sanctions over Russia’s war in Ukraine. The state-owned energy giant Gazprom confirmed the meeting.
Nord Stream debate returns to the political stage
Discussions reportedly centred on energy security and the possible resumption of Russian gas supplies to Germany via the Nord Stream pipeline, which was severely damaged in the 2022 sabotage attacks on infrastructure linking Russia and Germany under the Baltic Sea.
Frohnmaier argued that Germany is facing an “economic downward spiral” driven by high energy costs, insisting that “all options must be put back on the table,” including restoring gas flows and broader trade normalisation with Russia.
While acknowledging the trip is politically sensitive, he said engagement was necessary to prioritise energy security and competitiveness, adding that participation in the forum did not imply support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Russian officials echoed the outreach tone, with Dmitriev writing on social media that there was interest in “building a great future together” with the AfD.
Sabotage on the pipeline
The Nord Stream pipelines, which once carried major volumes of Russian gas to Europe, were blown up in September 2022 in an act of sabotage that German prosecutors say was carried out by Ukrainians.
German prosecutors continue to pursue suspects linked to the attack, including a Ukrainian national identified under privacy rules as Serhii K., who denies involvement and is currently contesting extradition from Italy.
