In its election program, Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD) party supports lifting economic sanctions against Russia and repairing the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines.
"Russia has been a reliable supplier and guarantor of affordable energy supplies for decades - a weak point for the German economy due to our energy-intensive industry. Restoring unhindered trade with Russia, including the immediate lifting of economic sanctions and the repair of Nord Stream. Germany's relationship with the Eurasian Economic Union must be expanded," the AfD election program states.
The far-right party in Germany also proposed that Ukraine should be a neutral country, not a member of NATO and the EU. "We see the future of Ukraine as a neutral country outside NATO and the EU," said the AfD.
The AfD also opposes the deployment of long-range US missiles in Germany. "We oppose the plans to deploy long-range US weapons systems (cruise missiles, drones and other missiles) in Germany."
The AfD also wants to improve relations between Germany and the United States. "We also see the new US government as a reliable partner in our commitment to freedom of expression and the fight against censorship on the Internet," the document states.
The party acknowledges that the geopolitical and economic interests of the United States are increasingly diverging from those of Germany and other European countries. "An example of this is energy supplies, such as the large-scale US efforts to block the Nord Stream gas pipeline. Germany must not allow itself to be drawn into conflicts over energy-related decisions made by the United States," the document concludes.
The AfD's election program was approved at the party's federal congress, which took place in the city of Riesa (federal state of Saxony) on January 11-12.
In Germany, the AfD is known as a right-wing populist party. Other political forces believe that it cannot cooperate with the party in any coalition - whether at the federal or local level.
Early parliamentary elections in Germany are scheduled to take place on February 23.
AfD chancellor candidate Alice Weidel expressed her desire to repair and reopen the Nord Stream pipeline at the party's federal congress. "We will bring Nord Stream back into operation," NTV quoted Weidel as saying.
The AfD is not the only German party that wants Nord Stream repaired and reopened. The left-wing Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) coalition also wants the pipelines to be put back into operation. BSW MP Sevim Dagdelen has called for the pipelines to be put back into operation and for the German government to stop funding Ukraine.
