Kremlin open to talks with AfD, 'impressed' by pro-Russia stance

Russia signalled openness to hold talks with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), following the Kremlin-friendly party's resounding success in recent state elections.

The AfD’s comments on resuming relations with Russia "impress us," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in comments carried by Russian news agency Interfax.

The anti-immigrant AfD came out on top in regional elections in the north-eastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, more than doubling its previous result.

The party also made big gains in Berlin, two weeks after winning the election in nearby Saxony-Anhalt, where it is in talks to form Germany's first far-right state government since the Nazi era.

Peskov said the party's recent electoral success demonstrates it is enjoying steadily growing popularity as a political force, and further welcomed its willingness to build ties with Moscow.

"Naturally, such statements seem more favourable to us than those made by [German Chancellor Friedrich] Merz, who has essentially only distinguished himself through confrontational remarks directed at the Russian Federation," Peskov said.

German Chancellor Merz has repeatedly been derided by the Russian leadership as a "warmonger" and "Russia hater" due to his country's support for Ukraine.

The AfD, on the other hand, campaigns for an end to EU sanctions on Russia as well as a halt to military aid for Ukraine.

The party has long cultivated relations with Moscow: in 2020, AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla was received by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for talks in the Russian capital.

Despite Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, AfD representatives attended the economic forum in St Petersburg earlier this year.