AfD is preparing for gas talks with Russia — Reuters
Kirill Dmitriev, a representative of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the leadership of the German party “Alternative for Germany” (AfD) are preparing for a possible meeting at which they hope to discuss the resumption of Russian gas supplies to Germany. According to Reuters, the talks could take place in 2027, but only after a framework peace agreement is concluded between Ukraine and Russia. Israel, the UAE, and India are among the possible venues for the meeting.
According to Reuters, representatives from the Russian side and the AfD leadership are involved in preparing for the potential meeting. Among the participants mentioned is Kirill Dmitriev—a close adviser to Putin and head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund. The German party may be represented at the meeting by its co-chairs, Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla. According to Reuters sources, the talks could take place as early as March 2027.
However, the meeting itself has not yet been officially confirmed. A spokesperson for the AfD and a spokesperson for Dmitriev declined to comment to Reuters on the preparations for the talks. The meeting is planned to take place only under one condition—if Ukraine and Russia first agree on a framework peace deal. Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and India are among the possible venues being considered.
What They Want to Discuss
The main topic of the potential talks is the return of Russian gas to the German market. This is not just about gas trade, but also about the possible resumption of operations on the Russian “Nord Stream” gas pipelines. The AfD has long advocated for the restoration of economic ties with Russia and the return of cheap Russian energy resources. In June, Alice Weidel told Reuters that Germany should end its boycott of Russian oil and gas. She linked cheap energy to the competitiveness of the German economy.
According to the organizers’ plan, the upcoming talks could also serve as a platform for discussing “Nord Stream.” The Russian side and the AfD would like to involve U.S. representatives in these discussions.
Why Witkoff and Kushner Are Being Mentioned
Plans were in place to invite U.S. President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkof and Jared Kushner to the potential meeting. Kirill Dmitriev had already met with them in Moscow this month. That is why, according to Reuters, the organizers hoped to involve the Americans in the gas talks as well.
But there is an important caveat here. A U.S. government official told Reuters that Witkoff and Kushner were not informed about the planned summit. According to him, they were also not invited to such a meeting. In other words, American participation remains merely a plan on the part of the organizers, not an agreement.
How Dependent Was Germany on Russian Gas?
Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Germany was one of the largest buyers of Russian energy resources. According to Reuters, Russia supplied more than half of Germany’s natural gas imports and more than a third of its crude oil imports.
After the Russian invasion in 2022, this model began to change rapidly. Germany reduced its dependence on Russian energy resources and began seeking other suppliers. Therefore, the idea of bringing back Russian gas is now more than just an economic issue. It is directly linked to Germany’s energy security and its relations with Russia.
This idea is already facing criticism in Germany
The idea of resuming Russian gas supplies has sparked a sharp reaction among German politicians. Michael Kellner, a member of the Green Party, stated that Germany must not fall back into dependence on Russia. He also recalled the energy crisis and called a return to the previous model a serious mistake. “We cannot repeat the mistakes of the energy crisis. It cost us 50 billion euros,” Kellner said, calling a possible return to such dependence an act of treason.
Roderich Kiesewetter, a member of the Christian Democratic Union, was even more outspoken. He stated that Russia uses energy resources as a tool for political and hybrid pressure. “Russia uses energy resources, especially ‘Nord Stream,’ as a hybrid weapon. Restoring ‘Nord Stream’ would be a disaster for European security and would isolate Germany,” Kisevetter said.
What the AfD Wants
For the AfD, the issue of Russian gas is part of the party’s broader economic and political stance. Its representatives speak of the need to lower energy costs for German businesses and the public. Weidel has previously cited cheap energy from Russia as one of the factors behind German industry’s success. The party also advocates easing restrictions on Russian energy resources.
According to Reuters sources, the AfD views a potential meeting as more than just a discussion about gas. The party wants to show its voters that it is capable of conducting international negotiations and proposing its own solutions to high energy prices. At the same time, the AfD is not part of Germany’s federal government. Therefore, even if such a meeting were to take place, its participants would not be able to independently decide to resume Russian gas supplies.
Why the “Nord Stream” issue is important
“Nord Stream” is a system of gas pipelines that, prior to the full-scale invasion, was used to deliver Russian gas directly to Germany via the Baltic Sea. After the full-scale war began, Russian gas supplies via this route ceased. Now, the possibility of resuming gas supplies via “Nord Stream” is once again emerging in political discussions, particularly among AfD supporters.
Reuters notes that the proposed meeting is primarily symbolic, as the AfD is not in power. However, the very fact that such talks are being prepared shows just how controversial the issue of energy relations with Russia remains in Germany.
What is known so far
At this point, the discussion centers specifically on a potential meeting, not on a finalized gas agreement. The talks could take place in 2027 and depend on whether a framework peace agreement is reached between Ukraine and Russia. There is also no confirmation of participation by U.S. representatives. According to Reuters, neither Witkof nor Kushner have been invited, nor have they been informed of preparations for such a summit.
Therefore, there are no concrete agreements yet regarding the resumption of Russian gas supplies to Germany. There are only preparations for a possible meeting where this issue will be discussed, and the very idea has already sparked a sharp political reaction in Germany, according to Reuters.
Natural gas supplies from Russia to Armenia will be temporarily suspended for 10 days. “Gazprom Armenia” attributed this to scheduled preventive maintenance and repair work on the “North Caucasus–Transcaucasia” gas pipeline on Russian territory. The company assures that consumers in Armenia will not be left without gas.
