Aligning extremes: Germany's left, right agree on Russia stance

German experts are raising the alarm. The extreme right and left are gaining traction in our western neighbour. Though vastly different from each other, these groups agree on fostering friendship with Russia and ending support for Ukraine. On this issue, the extreme fronts have found consensus.

At the beginning of Ukraine's war with Russia, the German government hesitated to support Kyiv, but it changed its stance on the conflict. Chancellor Olaf Scholz is a staunch advocate for supporting Ukrainians, which is evident from the numbers.

Germany is the EU leader in support of Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war, it has provided over 65 billion Canadian dollars in military, humanitarian, and economic aid. However, some German parties are less supportive of aiding Kyiv.

Skepticism towards Ukraine and even calls for friendship with Russia connect the German extreme left and right. Sahra Wagenknecht's BSW and Alternative for Germany (AfD) alliance calls for ending support for Ukraine and resuming economic relations with Russia.

This is striking because both sides differ dramatically in their views, yet they have found consensus here. This is very important because both parties achieved significant success in state elections in eastern Germany, German analyst Ales Moiseenko warns in an interview for Nexta.

The analyst explains that according to the extreme left and right, conducting talks with Russia, which wants peace, is better than supporting Ukraine, which aims for further escalation of the conflict.

It's worth noting that AfD won local elections in Thuringia and Saxony, garnering over 30 percent of the vote. This is Germany's first extreme right-wing party to win elections since World War II. Olaf Scholz has called on moderate political forces not to enter local coalitions with Alternative for Germany.