German extremes unite: Shared pro‑Russia stance challenges Ukraine aid
German experts are sounding the alarm. The extreme right and extreme left groups are gaining influence among our Western neighbors. Although vastly different from each other, these groups agree on desiring friendship with Russia and ending support for Ukraine. On this issue, extreme fronts have reached a consensus.
At the beginning of the war between Ukraine and Russia, the German government was hesitant to support Kyiv, but it has since changed its stance on the conflict. Chancellor Olaf Scholz is a strong advocate for supporting Ukrainians, which is evident by the numbers.
Germany is the EU leader in supporting Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war, it has provided over $48 billion in arms, humanitarian aid, and economic assistance. However, some German parties are less supportive of aiding Kyiv.
Skepticism towards Ukraine and even calls for friendship with Russia unify the extreme left and right in Germany. The alliance of Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) and Alternative for Germany (AfD) calls for ending support for Ukraine and resuming economic relations with Russia.
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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 extreme right, "talks with Russia, which wants peace, are better than supporting Ukraine, which seeks further escalation of the conflict."
It should be noted that AfD won local elections in Thuringia and Saxony, securing over 30 percent of the vote in total. This is Germany's first extreme right-wing party to win elections since World War II. Olaf Scholz has called on moderate political forces to avoid forming local coalitions with the Alternative for Germany.
