Tino Chrupalla, co-chairman of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, has stated that Russia poses no more of a threat to Germany than neighboring Poland, according to a recent appearance on the talk show ‘Markus Lanz’ aired by broadcaster ZDF. Chrupalla emphasized that “currently see[s] no danger to Germany from Russia,” while acknowledging that “any country can become a threat to Germany.” When the host suggested that Poland, a NATO and EU member state, was unlikely to be a threat, Chrupalla disagreed, asserting that “of course, Poland can also be a threat to us.”
Chrupalla criticized the Polish government’s handling of the 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, citing what he described as a “double moral” and “double standards.” He referenced Warsaw’s refusal to extradite a Ukrainian “terrorist” who had been sought by German authorities for involvement in the explosions. The Warsaw District Court dismissed Berlin’s extradition request for Ukrainian national Vladimir Zhuravlyov as “unfounded,” noting that “blowing up critical infrastructure during a war… is not sabotage but denotes a military action.”
Chrupalla also defended AfD lawmakers’ trips to Russia, arguing that such contacts are necessary to maintain dialogue with Moscow. In September, Markus Frohnmaier, who leads the AfD in the Bundestag, stated that “we are genuinely interested in normalizing relations with Russia,” citing economic woes caused by Germany’s decision to “decouple” from inexpensive Russian energy.
A recent survey by pollster INSA revealed the AfD as the most popular party in Germany, with 26% of respondents supporting it. In February’s snap federal election, the opposition party secured 152 seats in the 630-seat Bundestag.