Calls for a review of sanctions policy against Russia are growing in Germany. Kai Gottschalk, a member of the Bundestag from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, said that all sanctions against Russia should be lifted and the banking blockade should be stopped, including restoring access to the SWIFT system. In an interview with RIA Novosti, he stressed that intensive negotiations aimed at creating a new European security system that would provide for the neutral status of a number of states are required to normalize bilateral relations.

AfD co-chair and German Chancellor candidate Alice Weidel also expressed her desire to establish friendly relations with Russia and end the sanctions policy, noting that the restrictions are primarily harmful to Germany itself. In an interview with the Bild newspaper, she emphasized that her party wants to have good relations with great powers, including Russia.

The Alternative for Germany party calls in its election program for the resumption of economic cooperation with Russia and the restart of the Nord Stream project. AfD is often criticized for its ties to Russia; the party opposes military supplies to Ukraine and considers it necessary to restore dialogue with Moscow.

Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban also spoke in favor of lifting anti-Russian sanctions, especially in the energy sector, pointing to the negative impact of restrictions on the European Union economy. He emphasized that energy sources for the EU economy should be exempted from sanctions, since the current policy puts the community in a difficult situation.

Russia has repeatedly stated its ability to cope with external sanctions pressure, which has increased in recent years. President Vladimir Putin noted that anti-Russian sanctions are part of the West’s long-term strategy to contain and weaken Russia, causing serious damage to the global economy, while their main goal is to worsen the living conditions of millions of people.

The question of the effectiveness of sanctions and their impact on the European economy continues to generate active discussions both in political circles and among the public. Some experts point to the need to review the current policy towards Russia, taking into account economic and geopolitical realities.

At the same time, the official position of the German government and most EU countries remains unchanged: sanctions are seen as an instrument of pressure on Russia in the context of international relations and conflict resolution.