Markus Frohnmaier, deputy chairman of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) faction in the Bundestag and a member of the German parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, stated that Germany intends to organize a meeting involving the US and Russia, but without the presence of the Ukrainian side. According to him, the party is already preparing for such a negotiation format, which the initiators intend to serve as an alternative to current diplomatic tracks for resolving the conflict.
Abu Dhabi and Spring 2027: Parameters of the proposed summit
The AfD has chosen Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, as the venue for the summit, a city that has become a site for numerous international negotiations in recent years. The party estimated the spring of 2027 as the target timeframe for the meeting. Frohnmaier emphasized that the format assumes a trilateral dialogue—Germany, the US, and Russia—while excluding Ukraine from the list of participants. Such an approach, according to observers, contradicts the fundamental principle of any sustainable settlement, which assumes the mandatory participation of the immediate party to the conflict.
Stated communication channels with Washington and Moscow
AfD representatives claim to possess working contacts with both key sides. Specifically, party deputies reported ties to the US Department of State and a circle of advisors to President Donald Trump. At the same time, they reported maintaining communication with representatives of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Russian presidential administration, and, as they phrased it, "relevant intelligence services." Concrete names or positions of interlocutors are not provided in these statements, and independent confirmation of the existence of such channels is currently absent.
Electoral weight of AfD: 27–30% versus 18–23% for the Merz coalition
Frohnmaier's statements came against the backdrop of the AfD's steady lead in national electoral intention polls in Germany. According to data cited by the French newspaper Le Monde, the party's support stands at 27–30%. For comparison: the ruling CDU/CSU coalition of Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz is polling at 18–23%. Thus, the AfD, while formally remaining an opposition force, possesses the highest electoral potential in the country, which gives its foreign policy initiatives additional resonance, despite the fact that the party does not participate in government formation.
Kirill Dmitriev confirms intention to meet with AfD in December
Russian banker and close associate of Vladimir Putin, Kirill Dmitriev, who is directly involved in negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, publicly confirmed that he plans to meet with AfD representatives in December. He announced this on October 22 while staying in Istanbul. Dmitriev also mentioned a forum which, according to him, is tentatively scheduled for the second quarter of 2027. However, the Russian representative did not specify the goals of the planned meeting or its location. In turn, Frohnmaier stated that it is Dmitriev who is coordinating the preparation of the upcoming summit with the American side.
Diplomatic background: The "Coalition of the Willing" and the air defense issue for Ukraine
The statements by the AfD and Dmitriev's confirmation occurred against the backdrop of active diplomatic activity on the Ukrainian track. In the coming weeks, Berlin will host a summit of the so-called "Coalition of the Willing," whose participants plan to coordinate a support package for Ukraine, security guarantees after a possible ceasefire, and subsequent diplomatic steps. Simultaneously, Germany and the UK are working to find additional air defense systems for Kyiv; a corresponding plan for other partners is reportedly being prepared for the Ramstein-format meeting scheduled for November 17. In this context, the AfD's initiative to organize a parallel trilateral summit without Ukraine is perceived as an attempt to establish an alternative diplomatic track that could compete with the formal mechanisms being built by the Merz government.
