A clear majority of Germans believe that the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is too politically close to Moscow, according to a poll released today, cited by DPA, cited by BTA.
According to the Politbarometer poll for the ZDF broadcaster, 62% of respondents believe that the party is too friendly to the Russian leadership, while 28% do not consider this policy a problem.
Only 10% of AfD supporters, Germany's largest opposition party, find relations with Moscow are too close, 87% disagree with the statement.
The party's ties with Russia have caused controversy in Berlin in recent weeks, with several of the party's MPs travelling to Sochi to attend a conference despite the war in Ukraine.
The trip was widely criticised by German parties, with conservative MP Martin Huber accusing the AfD of “treason“.
AfD leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Krupala attempted to present a united front on the issue earlier this month after public disagreements emerged. Weidel criticised the trip, saying she did not “understand what they were expected to do there“.
Meanwhile, Krupala sparked controversy within the party by appearing on a talk show earlier this week in which she said she saw no concrete danger to Germany at the moment from Russia.
“He didn't do anything to me“, he said of Russian President Vladimir Putin.