Asger Risom
Bundestag Demands Answers Over SPD Politician’s Unannounced Talks in Baku
German lawmakers are calling for explanations after Ralf Stegner, a member of Germany’s Parliamentary Oversight Committee for intelligence services, held undisclosed talks with senior Russian officials in April.
The meeting, which took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, has ignited debate in Berlin about possible breaches of national security protocols and the appropriateness of dialogue amid Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Stegner and German Delegation Met High-Level Russian Figures
As reported by HotNews, Stegner and other German politicians, including figures from both the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative bloc, met with close associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Attendees included Viktor Subkov, chairman of Gazprom’s supervisory board and former Russian prime minister, as well as Valery Fadeev, head of Russia’s Human Rights Council.
The meeting was connected to the St. Petersburg Dialogue, a bilateral forum initiated in 2001 by Putin and former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, but officially dissolved in 2021 following the Kremlin’s crackdown on civil society organizations.
Lawmakers Defend “Private” Event, Critics Call for Investigation
Four German participants confirmed the meeting in a statement, calling it a “private” gathering without official mandates or compensation.
They argued that “dialogue, even in times of heightened tension, remains a core principle of good foreign policy.” They also insisted that the event was not a secret, despite the confidential setting.
However, the meeting, first reported by ARD and Die Zeit, has drawn intense criticism given the current state of EU-Russia relations and Moscow’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Critics argue that any informal engagement with Kremlin officials could undermine Germany’s unified stance with its NATO and EU allies.
Calls for Accountability in Bundestag
The backlash has been particularly strong over Stegner’s participation due to his privileged access to classified intelligence. Konstantin von Notz, chair of the committee and a member of the Green Party, called it a “worrying event that must be clarified immediately.”
Roderich Kiesewetter of the conservative CDU also demanded that Stegner fully explain his actions. Liberal MEP Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann went further, stating that Stegner should not retain his position on the oversight committee: “Anyone in such a sensitive role must be above any suspicion. That is not the case here.”
The incident underscores the heightened sensitivity within German politics over any perceived attempt to soften diplomatic isolation of Moscow, especially as Germany remains a key supporter of Ukraine in the ongoing conflict.