Alice Weidel expressed optimism that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin can quickly resolve the conflict.
Alice Weidel, co-leader of Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, criticized the EU and Germany’s handling of the Ukraine conflict, asserting their inability to achieve a diplomatic resolution due to incompetent leadership.
The AfD advocates for peace between Russia and Ukraine and is committed to pursuing negotiations, Weidel stated during a campaign event in Neu-Isenburg.
She highlighted Trump’s unique focus on peace during his election campaign last year.
“I am hopeful the US and Russia will swiftly bring this war to an end,” Weidel emphasized.
Weidel believes the EU, especially Germany, lacks the capacity for peacemaking due to ineffective politicians lacking the necessary expertise and experience.
She argued that Berlin should have initiated peace efforts immediately following the February 2022 escalation, engaging in talks with both Putin and Zelensky, but failed to do so.
Weidel criticized German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s refusal to shake hands with her Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, at a 2023 G20 summit, stating this is not how serious diplomacy functions.
Following his recent inauguration, Trump, who previously pledged to quickly end the conflict, offered to meet with Putin to find a diplomatic solution. The Kremlin responded positively but noted that Washington had not yet initiated contact.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Trump’s belief that the fighting “must end now through negotiation.”
The AfD, founded in 2013 and known for its anti-immigration stance, currently enjoys approximately 20% support in polls, surpassing Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s SPD (16%) but trailing the CDU (31%). Germany’s federal election is scheduled for February 23.