And in the AfD?
>Nobody knew about it during my deployment – also for security reasons. After that I was unsure whether I should make this public. I didn't want to seem like a poser. But party friends –including higher-ranking people– encouraged me. Many just said: „Dude, awesome!“ The response was mostly positive, even from political opponents such as CDU people or NAFO activists. Of course, critical tones also came – for example from Compact magazine. But my personal highlight is that a debate has finally started within the party. The Russia narrative is crumbling. I'm very happy about that.

When it comes to Ukraine solidarity, the word „transatlantic“ is often mentioned. The AfD-NRW is also called this. Are you transatlantic?
>It is my allies within the party. I admire America without sacralizing it. I'm primarily concerned with Europe. I was also in Russia – and I can say with conviction: Whoever thinks Russia is a conservative alternative has never been there. It runs worse in all matters than ours. Russia is foreign, economically nationalized, traversed by propaganda and authoritarian to the core. Try to demonstrate against migration in Russia – you end up in the camp. In Russia, what it accuses Europe – only happens ten times: propaganda, Islamization, population exchange. Mariupol literally places new non-residents while old people disappear. Russian propaganda claims the opposite – but Russia is the caricature of what it claims to fight.

Is the Ukraine War also our war? Is democracy defended on Donbass?
>Yes. Ukraine is a democracy with all weaknesses. Even if you have no emotional bond –, it is about tough German interests: cheap energy, economic cooperation, deterring wars of aggression, preventing mass exodus. If Russia wins, Europe destabilizes. Then others see: wars of aggression are worthwhile. The Ukrainian struggle is somewhere also a German one. Guns for Ukraine are cheaper than German blood in the Baltic States.

cont