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AfD parliamentary group leader Weidel does not want to let the "thread of the conversation between Germany and Russia tear"
Photo: Sebastian Gollnow / dpa
Relations between Russia and Germany are bad. In the dispute over the poisoning and imprisonment of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, both countries recently expelled diplomats from one another.
The AfD, meanwhile, maintains good contacts to Moscow - and has now again traveled to the Russian capital with a delegation.
It is about "not tearing the thread of the conversation between Germany and Russia," said the AfD parliamentary leader Alice Weidel who was traveling with him.
Particular attention is paid to foreign trade relations.
According to the parliamentary group, MPs Petr Bystron and Robby Schlund are also taking part in the visit to Russia.
Bystron is chairman of the AfD parliamentary group in the Foreign Affairs Committee, Schlund is chairman of the German-Russian parliamentary group.
The program of the trip, which is planned for Friday, includes talks in the Foreign Ministry, in the Russian central bank and with representatives of the lower house of the Russian parliament, the Duma.
Planned visit to Russian vaccine research center
In addition, according to the faction, a series of talks with German and Russian companies are planned, as well as a visit to the Gamaleja research center, which developed the Sputnik V corona vaccine.
"With our talks in Moscow we want to do our part to deepen and improve relations between our two countries," said Weidel.
The aim is "to finally end the economic sanctions that are damaging not only Russia, but also the German economy."
The visit to Moscow by AfD MPs led by party spokesman Tino Chrupalla at the beginning of December caused a sensation in Germany.
At a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Chrupalla sharply criticized the political situation in Germany and condemned the sanctions against Russia.
The German-Russian relationship is currently strained, particularly because of Navalny.
The Kremlin critic was the victim of a poison attack in Russia last August.
President Vladimir Putin's opponent was flown to Germany and treated at the Berlin Charité.
He was arrested immediately after returning to Russia in January.
Navalny was most recently sentenced to more than two and a half years in a prison camp for alleged violations of his probation requirements.
The decision was strongly condemned internationally and sparked mass protests in Russia.
The European Union (EU) and the US recently imposed sanctions on Russia for the actions against Navalny.
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fek / dpa / AFP