Party members’ planned trip to Russia has sparked discussion within the AfD. Although party leader Weidel recently received clear criticism, his deputy leader Chrupalla has now also spoken out and defended the plan.
AfD deputy leader Tino Chrupalla defended his party colleagues’ planned trip to Russia. Colleagues who are going there have already registered their trip. It has been approved, Chrupalla said in the joint morning magazine ARD and ZDF. He responded to criticism from fellow party leader Alice Weidel. “We agree with Ms. Weidel that we will keep relations with Russia open,” Chrupalla added.
The planned meeting between AfD lawmakers and Russian politicians in Sochi is part of an event organized by the BRICS countries, which will also be attended by representatives from India and China, for example, Chrupalla said.
Rothfuß resigned “of his own accord”
Weidel sharply criticized the travel plans of AfD members of the Bundestag Steffen Kotré and Rainer Rothfuß and announced the consequences within the party. He said Tuesday in the Bundestag that he did not understand what people in Russia “really should be doing.”
Rothfuß, who also wanted to meet hardliner Dmitri Medvedev, decided “after various discussions with his colleagues” and “on his own initiative” not to take part in the trip, Weidel said later. Kotré, on the other hand, wanted to stick to the plan
Weidel also previously criticized airspace violations in Estonia and Poland by Russian drones. Chrupalla, on the other hand, reiterated that Russia does not pose a threat to Germany. “He didn’t do anything to me,” he said of President Vladimir Putin. Incidentally, “Poland could also be a danger for us.”
Weidel and Chrupalla: “Together in the future too”
In a joint statement on Thursday, Weidel and Chrupalla did not address the dispute over their party colleagues’ contacts with Russia. However, Weidel denied media reports that he wanted to be sole leader of the party: “As federal spokesperson for the Alternative for Germany, we will continue to create joint policies for Germany and its citizens in the future,” the party leadership said in a statement. “To this end, we maintain good relations with our European and international partners.”
Bild newspaper previously reported in connection with a dispute over AfD members’ trip to Russia that Weidel was aiming to become sole party leader.
