German Pegida Movement Hopes for Meeting With Russian President - Founder

Pegida founder Lutz Bachmann said that German anti-Islam and anti-immigrant movement Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West (Pegida) calls for better relations with Russia and hopes for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

DRESDEN (Sputnik) – The German anti-Islam and anti-immigrant movement Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West (Pegida) calls for better relations with Russia and hopes for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pegida founder Lutz Bachmann said.

"I am thankful that such a person as Vladimir Putin remains calm and does not fall for provocations… I hope very much that we will meet with Mr. Putin, he speaks German very well and has spent a lot of time in Dresden," Bachmann told RIA Novosti, calling the Russian leader "a reasonable man."

Russian-German relations deteriorated significantly after the European Union has imposed several rounds of sanctions against Russia since Crimea became part of Russia in 2014 and over Moscow's alleged involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.

Pegida emerged in October 2014 in Dresden where it attracted hundreds and later thousands of supporters during weekly anti-Islamization marches.

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