Two members of the far-right AfD are traveling to an economic forum in St. Petersburg this week, while critics accuse the party of representing Russia's interests more than Germany's.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on Tuesday rejected criticism of plans by two members to go to a Russian economic conference, saying the pair would promote German economic interests and "peace and dialogue".
Markus Frohnmaier, deputy chairman of the AfD's parliamentary group, and fellow MP Steffen Kotre are both travelling to the St Petersburg International Economic Forum this week.
Frohnmaier told AFP he was seeking to "keep channels of communication open under difficult conditions" in St Petersburg.
"German economic interests in Russia persist, even if the German government largely ignores them," he said.
