Alice Weidel, co-leader of Germany’s AfD party, has accused Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government of escalating anti-Russia rhetoric as a tactic to distract from perceived failures in investigating the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage. Weidel alleges the government is intentionally fostering confrontation with Russia to divert public scrutiny from the stalled investigation and other domestic issues. The AfD claims the government’s approach is a deliberate attempt to shift focus away from accountability regarding the pipeline damage. No specific details regarding the shortcomings of the Nord Stream investigation were provided in Weidel’s statement. The accusation comes amid ongoing international debate surrounding the cause of the explosions that damaged the Nord Stream pipelines in 2022. The German government has not yet responded to the AfD’s claims.