German-Russian Relations Hit Rock Bottom as AfD Pushes Normalization

The relationship between Germany and Russia, once one of Europe's most consequential bilateral partnerships, has been shattered by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. What was once called Wandel durch Handel (change through trade) — the idea that economic engagement would bring political liberalisation — has been thoroughly discredited.

The Collapse of Ostpolitik

Germany's decades-long policy of engagement with Russia, rooted in Cold War-era Ostpolitik, rested on deep energy dependence and significant trade ties. The Nord Stream pipelines were the symbol of that relationship. Following the invasion, Germany reversed course: it began supplying weapons to Ukraine, imposed sanctions on Russia, and scrambled to replace Russian gas.

Today, diplomatic channels between Berlin and Moscow are almost entirely frozen. Germany has expelled Russian diplomats, and Russian propaganda has intensified anti-German messaging. The era of close cooperation appears definitively over.

AfD's Push for Normalization

Against this backdrop, Germany's far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) has been pushing for a return to normal relations with Russia. AfD leaders have called for lifting sanctions, resuming gas imports, and ending military support for Ukraine. Critics argue that such positions align suspiciously closely with Russian foreign policy objectives and note that some AfD figures have met with Russian officials.

Mainstream German parties have largely rejected this line, viewing it as incompatible with Germany's commitments to its NATO allies and to Ukrainian sovereignty. However, the AfD's rising polling numbers have kept the debate alive in German public discourse.