Kremlin says it welcomes fact that Germany's AfD wants dialogue with Russia

FILE PHOTO: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi, India, September 11, 2026. Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

MOSCOW, Sept 22 - The Kremlin said on Tuesday it welcomed the fact that Germany's far-right AfD party wants dialogue with Moscow, contrasting that with what it called the confrontational stance of Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

The anti-immigration Alternative for Germany took first place in a state election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on Sunday, building on its victory in Saxony-Anhalt state two weeks earlier and intensifying political pressure on Merz.

Reuters reported last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin's top economic envoy and the AfD leadership had begun preparations to meet next year to discuss restarting gas supplies from Russia to Germany.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters he had no information about reported attempts by the AfD to establish contact with Moscow.

"However, as a political force in Germany - one that is currently popular, showing a steady upward trend and talking about the expediency of establishing relations with our country - this can't fail to appeal to us," he said.

Peskov said Merz, on the other hand, had made only confrontational remarks about Russia. REUTERS