Four years after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine and Berlin and Moscow ended their energy cooperation, the issue of restoring Russian natural gas supplies to Germany is returning to the political agenda.
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Sources cited by Reuters say that Kirill Dmitriev, the Kremlin official responsible for high-level economic contacts, is considering organizing a meeting in March 2027 together with leaders of the Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Two people familiar with the talks said the main topic is expected to be the possibility of restoring Russian energy supplies to Europe’s largest economy.
One of the central issues will be the Nord Stream pipelines. Before the war, they represented the close energy ties between Germany and Russia, while after the September 2022 explosions they became a symbol of the division between Moscow and the West.
The proposed meeting could be attended by AfD co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla. The locations mentioned for the event include Israel, the United Arab Emirates and India.
Neither the AfD nor Kirill Dmitriev agreed to comment on the information.
The meeting depends on the prior establishment of a framework for peace between Russia and Ukraine. According to the sources, the organizers’ aim is to create a platform involving the AfD, Russia and, possibly, representatives of the United States.
Before the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the imposition of sanctions, Russia supplied more than one-third of Germany’s crude oil imports and more than half of its natural gas imports.
The disruption of Russian supplies dealt a severe blow to the German economy, while the damage to Nord Stream in September 2022 effectively ended the previous energy relationship between Berlin and Moscow.
Alice Weidel has repeatedly called for the restoration of oil and gas imports from Russia. In her view, low-cost Russian energy was for decades one of the advantages of German industry.
The proposal for the meeting comes at a time when the AfD, although not part of the government, has increased its influence in German politics.
The party achieved significant results in the regional elections in Saxony-Anhalt and has expanded its support, especially in eastern Germany, where relations with Russia remain a sensitive issue.
The AfD presents the return of Russian gas as an alternative with economic benefits that could ease the impact of high energy costs on the German economy.
However, the idea of renewed energy ties with Moscow has drawn opposition in Berlin.
Michael Kellner, a Green lawmaker and former official responsible for energy policy during the crisis, warned that Germany must avoid creating a new dependency on Russia.
“We cannot repeat the mistakes of the energy crisis,” Kellner said, stressing that Moscow uses energy as an instrument of influence.
Roderich Kiesewetter, a member of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democrats, has also expressed similar concerns. He warned that reopening Nord Stream would have consequences for Europe’s security.
The AfD, however, continues to insist that energy cooperation with Russia could help strengthen the competitiveness of the German economy.
The talks are taking place as Germany seeks to adjust to moving away from cheap Russian energy and Moscow tries to keep its channels of influence in Europe open.
