AfD MP Maximilian Krah criticizes EU expansion and calls for Turkey partnership

Maximilian Krah, a Member of Parliament for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, has made several controversial statements regarding European diplomacy and strategic partnerships.

Regarding the European Union, Krah alleged that Greece used blackmail against Germany during the 2004 EU expansion process. He claimed that Greece pressured Germany to accept the Republic of Cyprus into the EU before the Cyprus issue was resolved, stating, “Greece blackmailed us and said, ‘We will only approve the EU expansion in Southeast Europe if you accept Cyprus.’” Krah criticized German diplomacy as “weak” for allowing this pressure to succeed, noting that the unresolved Cyprus issue remains a problem within the EU today.

In a separate context, Krah advocated for a strengthened strategic partnership between Germany and Turkey. He described Turkey as a “key strategic partner of the 21st century,” citing its geographic location, energy potential for transporting natural gas from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, and its rapid advancements in defense technology. Krah suggested that Germany should increase cooperation with Turkey in defense, foreign policy, and customs, particularly noting the speed of the Turkish defense industry compared to Germany's.