Moscow to host German lawmakers from far-right Afd party

Germany’s far-right AfD party will hold talks with the Russian foreign ministry and visit a vaccine research center on its second visit to Moscow in three months, the AfD’s parliamentary group says

Party leader Alice Weidel heads the three-person delegation which “has traveled to Moscow” and will be in Russia until Friday, the group said in a statement.

The trip is set to include talks with the Russian central bank, foreign ministry and Duma parliamentarians, as well as a visit to the Gamaleya research institute where Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine was developed.

The AfD hoped to help “deepen and improve” German-Russian relations, says Weidel.

She adds that the party’s aim was “to finally end economic sanctions” on Russia.

The visit is the second time an AfD delegation has traveled to Moscow in a matter of months.

Weidel’s co-leader Tino Chrupalla met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in December, as part of a visit during which he too criticized EU sanctions on Russia.

The latest trip comes as the AfD challenges a decision by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency to put the party under nationwide surveillance for posing a threat to democracy.