Putin-friendly German party moves to block aid to Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin (photo: Getty Images)
BSW demands an end to military aid for Ukraine and says it is ready to use votes from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to achieve this in Saxony-Anhalt, according to NTV.
Joint vote with AfD
BSW representatives Claudia Wittig and Thomas Schulze published an "Immediate Action Program" proposing to introduce a bill against aid to Ukraine in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament.
The BSW plans to vote for the initiative together with the pro-Russian AfD.
"We hope that with the AfD's votes, this proposal will secure a majority in the new state parliament," the candidates' document says.
Despite there being no formal agreement between the parties, a BSW spokesperson confirmed that the party is counting on support from the Alternative for Germany because ending support for Kyiv is a shared position.
Wagenknecht's position on war against Ukraine
The main political goal of BSW is to block financial and military support for Ukraine through the Bundesrat.
Party representatives argue that funding for Kyiv creates an economic burden for Germany and increases the risk of the country being drawn into the war.
"We want a policy that thinks more about Köthen than Kyiv," Wittig and Schulze said.
Party founder Sahra Wagenknecht has also called for an end to financial support for Ukraine's defense needs and a shift toward negotiations with Russia.
"Not a single cent more should be sent to fund the war in Ukraine. Serious diplomatic efforts are finally needed to stop the bloodshed," Wagenknecht said.
Germany's political context
Polls in Saxony-Anhalt show BSW hovering around the threshold for entering parliament, with 3–4% support.
Meanwhile, the far-right AfD is leading the race in the region, polling at 40–42%.
BSW's plans to cooperate with the far right have already caused serious tensions within the party itself and drawn criticism from other political forces.
Peace talks, Kremlin's stance
As previously reported, amid discussions of a possible summit involving the leaders of Ukraine, the United States and Russia, Moscow has again set tough conditions for direct dialogue.
The Kremlin said a meeting of the leaders would be possible only to formalize final agreements, while the process of reaching them would be difficult. At the same time, the Ukrainian side emphasizes that Russia has shown no genuine desire for peace.
In particular, Sergiy Kyslytsya, First Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said that Putin is relying on terror against civilians and expects Ukrainians not to survive the winter.
The Kremlin also insists that any negotiations will not be reduced to a simplified deal, confirming its intention to prolong the process.
