Oleksij Makeiev, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany, reacted with disbelief to the proposal put forward by the AfD and BSW parties in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament concerning a vote to stop aid to Ukraine. Makeiev described the joint initiative, which is scheduled for debate on Wednesday, as “the peak of absurdity.”
The ambassador warned the Funke Media Group newspapers that removing weapons deliveries would inevitably lead to more deaths among Ukrainian defenders, effectively assisting oppressors. The AfD and BSW intend to introduce this motion at a special session of the Magdeburg State Parliament, one week after the AfD politician Tobias Rausch was elected as parliamentary president.
The core of the joint initiative demands that the Saxony-Anhalt state government commit to fundamentally changing Germany’s policy toward Ukraine. The proposal calls for an immediate halt to all weapon deliveries and also demands that Ukraine cease receiving any financial assistance beyond basic humanitarian aid.
The parties’ official joint document states that additional military supplies merely prolong the war and increase the risk of further escalation. Furthermore, it aims to pressure the state government to present these demands to the Bundesrat. The initiative strongly calls for an immediate ceasefire and the commencement of peace negotiations with Russia. These diplomatic efforts, according to the proposal, must be paired with the normalization of economic ties between Germany and Russia, requiring the immediate lifting of all economic sanctions against Moscow.
Makeiev, however, countered these demands by stating that the Ukrainian side is ready for a ceasefire, but Russia is not. He asserted that Moscow has rejected all attempts at dialogue. Adding a highly critical comment, Makeiev noted that lifting sanctions would essentially refill Russia’s war chest. He concluded with a pointed remark, suggesting that the only missing demand would be for Saxony-Anhalt to be expelled from the EU and NATO, declare neutrality, and potentially join the Russian Reich.
In contrast, Sahra Wagenknecht, founder of the BSW, defended the measure. She stated that the motion represented a significant moment, marking the first time that a German parliament was openly opposing the federal government’s stance toward Ukraine and advocating for peaceful negotiations and a willingness to compromise to end the severe conflict. Wagenknecht claimed that this initiative would send a “peace policy signal from Magdeburg to the government district of Berlin.” She argued that Germany requires a government that actively pursues dialogue with Moscow, rather than one that pushes for escalation, which she predicted would only result in war. As a final criticism, she pointed out the perceived double standards of governing parties, stating that Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) delivers billion-euro checks to Ukraine while simultaneously cutting pensions, care, and health benefits domestically.
