Kremlin says it welcomes fact that Germany's AfD wants dialogue with Russia

The ​Kremlin said on ​Tuesday it welcomed the ‌fact that ​Germany's far-right AfD party wants dialogue with Moscow, contrasting that with what ‌it called the confrontational stance of Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

The anti-immigration Alternative for Germany took first place in a state election ‌in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on Sunday, building on its victory in ‌Saxony-Anhalt state two weeks earlier and intensifying political pressure on Merz. Reuters reported last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin's top economic envoy ⁠and ​the AfD ⁠leadership had begun preparations to meet next year to discuss restarting gas supplies ⁠from Russia to Germany.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters ​he had no information about reported attempts by the AfD ⁠to establish contact with Moscow. "However, as a political force in Germany - ⁠one ​that is currently popular, showing a steady upward trend and talking about the expediency of establishing relations with ⁠our country - this can't fail to appeal to us," he ⁠said.

Peskov ⁠said Merz, on the other hand, had made only confrontational remarks about Russia.