Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) has moved to restrain a group of party figures planning to attend a BRICS–Europe symposium in Sochi from 13–17 November, exposing a rift between the leadership and several lawmakers.
Party co-leader Alice Weidel said she saw “very little to be gained” from the visit and pledged stricter internal rules on foreign travel, including possible sanctions for breaches.
Bundestag members Steffen Kotré and Rainer Rothfuß were set to travel to Russia for the event, billed as an “International BRICS–Europe Symposium” in the Black Sea resort. The AfD’s Saxony state leader Jörg Urban and the party’s Member of the European Parliament Hans Neuhoff were also expected to take part. The programme runs from Thursday 13 November to Monday 17 November.
The trip has become a flashpoint in Berlin. In a Bundestag debate on 6 November, rival lawmakers accused AfD figures of cultivating ties with Moscow and of using parliamentary inquiries to probe sensitive military or critical-infrastructure information—allegations the party rejects. The planned Sochi visit was cited in that exchange, intensifying political scrutiny ahead of the symposium.
Weidel has publicly urged party colleagues not to go. In remarks published this week, she said she “cannot understand” what participants are “supposed to do there”, and indicated the leadership would tighten approvals for overseas travel with penalties for those who do not comply. She also said one of the two Bundestag members—Rothfuß—had been dissuaded from travelling, while Kotré intended to proceed.
Reporting around Rothfuß has been mixed in recent days. Russian state media quoted him as defending the visit as part of efforts to prevent escalation in relations with Moscow, and as planning to speak in Sochi. German coverage earlier noted that he had indicated an intention to join a panel that, in a previous year, included former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. Whether he ultimately travels now appears contingent on the party’s internal direction and any enforcement measures.
The event itself is framed as a forum on economic and social co-operation between Europe and the BRICS grouping—initially Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, and since expanded to include additional countries. German outlets have described the coming days as a test of AfD’s posture towards Russia after its lawmakers maintained contacts following the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine and criticised Berlin’s military support for Kyiv.
Attention has also fallen on the wider delegation beyond the two Bundestag members. Urban, a prominent figure in Saxony, has been listed among expected attendees, as has Neuhoff, who entered the European Parliament in 2024 and sits with the Europe of Sovereign Nations group. Neither has publicly confirmed detailed agendas for Sochi, and it is unclear whether AfD’s leadership pressure will prompt any adjustments.
Security concerns form the backdrop. In parallel with the parliamentary row, German media reported that officials suspect some AfD requests for information may have sought data of potential utility to Russia. AfD denies any improper conduct. The controversy has sharpened criticism from other parties over travel by AfD politicians to Russia while the war continues.
For Weidel, the Sochi episode serves as a vehicle to assert tighter central control. She has promised an overhaul of the party’s consent process for foreign engagements and warned of disciplinary steps—including, in extremis, expulsion—should members defy guidance. Whether those measures deter participation this week will be evident as the symposium opens on Thursday.
As of publication, the situation stands as follows: Kotré has indicated he intends to attend; Rothfuß has, according to Weidel, withdrawn under pressure, though his recent statements to Russian media pointed the other way; Urban and Neuhoff are listed by several outlets as expected participants; and AfD’s leadership is attempting to set clearer guardrails for overseas political activity.
German officials suspect AfD used parliamentary tools to seek sensitive data useful to Russia
