Overview
- Jörg Urban, Steffen Kotré and Hans Neuhoff traveled to Sochi for a BRICS–Europe symposium and shared a photo from the trip.
- The symposium opened with a speech by Dmitri Medvedev, and the AfD’s Bundestag group vetoed a planned direct meeting with him.
- Alice Weidel publicly criticized the trip, while co-leader Tino Chrupalla defended it as registered and approved.
- Supporters framed the visit as maintaining channels with Russian representatives, a rationale critics reject given Russia’s ongoing attacks on Ukraine and alleged sabotage targeting Germany.
- The CSU accused the AfD of treason over the visit and called for consequences.