BSW MP Sven Hornauf is planning city twinning with Belarus and Russia
Despite the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the Brandenburg state parliament member is striving to revive contacts.
Quick Look
- The BSW state parliament member Sven Hornauf is planning a delegation trip to Belarus in November to revive city partnerships.
- Despite the war in Ukraine, he wants to promote direct exchange between peoples and is planning a trip to Russia in 2027.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Twinning relationships with Russia and Belarus were largely suspended after the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022. BSW MP Sven Hornauf has already been criticized for previous contacts with the Russian embassy.
Despite the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, BSW state parliament member Sven Hornauf wants to revive city partnerships with places in Belarus and Russia. A delegation trip to Belarus is planned for November. It's about setting an example for understanding between both peoples, said Hornauf. The “Märkische Oderzeitung” previously reported.
The authoritarian ruler of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, is the closest ally of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. After the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine began in 2022, city twinning was put on hold.
In April 2027, Hornauf says he also wants to help organize a trip to Russia. The politician from Frankfurt (Oder) said that it should be made possible "that there are normal, regular contacts again - at the people's level - and that the general political situation, regardless of which side, does not prevent these contacts."
The largest group comes from Frankfurt (Oder), says Hornauf. He announced a delegation visit from Oderstadt in Vitebsk, Belarus, from November 6th to 11th. Other participants on the bus trip wanted to build on previous city partnerships in Minsk and other places. Potsdam, for example, maintained relations with the Belarusian capital in the past.
Hornauf helped initiate a visit by BSW members and supporters to the Russian embassy in Berlin in the spring. He also caused criticism because he agreed to several AfD proposals.
In 2024, the MP, who is a lawyer in Frankfurt (Oder), expressed criticism of the stationing of the Arrow 3 missile defense system at the Bundeswehr air base in Holzdorf during the government formation phase between the SPD and the BSW. The coalition between the SPD and BSW in Brandenburg collapsed in January of this year.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Delegation visit to Vitebsk from November 6th to 11th
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- How are the affected communities reacting to the travel plans?
- What legal framework conditions apply to the trips?
