The party won 43.8% of the votes in the Saxony-Anhalt state election on September 6, and over 38% in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern regional election approximately two weeks later. Analysts point out that the AfD advocates for an end to all military and financial support for Ukraine, rejects Ukraine's accession to the EU and NATO, and calls for restoring relations with Russia and restarting the Nord Stream gas pipeline. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised these stances. Experts believe that the rise of the AfD will immediately impact Germany's policy towards Ukraine and exert psychological pressure on Chancellor Merz's government, potentially leading it to adopt a more discreet approach to supporting Ukraine.