German AfD Lawmaker Markus Frohnmaier Meets Sanctioned Russian Gazprom Leaders in St Petersburg

AfD parliamentarian Markus Frohnmaier traveled to the St Petersburg International Economic Forum despite a formal warning from the German foreign ministry. In Russia he met Alexei Miller, chief executive of Gazprom, and Kirill Dmitriev, Vladimir Putin’s special envoy for investment, both subject to Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine. The discussions focused on the possible re‑activation of the Nord Stream pipeline and the resumption of Russian gas supplies to Germany. Frohnmaier, a senior figure in the Alternative for Germany (AfD) – the party’s second‑largest bloc in the Bundestag – framed the talks as “real dialogue” and highlighted the party’s interest in restoring energy links with Moscow. Miller is quoted as saying, “Access to Russian resources was the foundation of our economic boom.” The visit underscores a stark contrast between the AfD’s outreach to Moscow and Berlin’s official policy of supporting Ukraine and maintaining sanctions.

The meeting signals a widening gap within German politics over how to handle Russia’s energy sector and may influence future debates on German energy security.