A close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly preparing to meet with members of the AfD, a far-right political party in Germany. The goal of these talks is to find a way to get Russian natural gas flowing into Germany again.

Germany used to get most of its gas from Russia. That changed after Russia invaded Ukraine. The German government stopped buying Russian gas to punish Russia for the war. Now, some members of the AfD—a group that has often criticized Germany’s current leadership—are looking to change that.

Recent reports suggest that the AfD and a representative for Putin are working on a plan to restart those energy supplies. This news follows a long period of tension where Western countries have tried to cut off money and support for Russia.

The AfD has been gaining popularity in eastern Germany, where many people still have old ties to Russia. Leaders in the party, including Alice Weidel, have publicly said they want to fix the broken relationship with Moscow.

Experts and news watchdogs say that Russia is trying to use these political groups to cause trouble inside Germany and weaken the country’s support for Ukraine. While the AfD pushes for these talks, the official German government continues to oppose buying energy from Russia as long as the war in Ukraine goes on.

Source: Reuters