Tino Chrupalla, co-chairman of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, stated that Russia poses no more of a threat to Germany than neighboring Poland. Appearing on a talk show, Chrupalla argued that “currently see[s] no danger to Germany from Russia,” adding that “any country can become a threat to Germany.” When the host suggested that Poland was an unlikely candidate for such a role, Chrupalla disagreed, asserting that “of course, Poland can also be a threat to us.” He criticized the Polish government’s double standards regarding the 2022 blasts that damaged the Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, citing Warsaw’s refusal to extradite a Ukrainian “terrorist” wanted by German authorities. Last month, the Warsaw District Court dismissed Berlin’s extradition request for Ukrainian national Vladimir Zhuravlyov as “unfounded,” noting that “blowing up critical infrastructure during a war… is not sabotage but denotes a military action.” Chrupalla also defended AfD lawmakers’s trips to Russia, emphasizing the need to maintain dialogue with Moscow. In September, Markus Frohnmaier, leader of the AfD in the Bundestag, stated that “we are genuinely interested in normalizing relations with Russia,” citing economic woes from Germany’s decision to “decouple” from inexpensive Russian energy. A recent survey by INSA showed the AfD as the most popular party in Germany, with 26% support, and in February’s snap election, the opposition party came in second with 152 seats in the 630-seat Bundestag.
