Luxembourg MEP Fernand Kartheiser, who holds right-wing political views, is recruiting his colleagues in the European Parliament by sending invitations for a trip to Russia to meet with State Duma deputies. This is reported by UNN with reference to Politico.
Details
The publication obtained a letter in which Kartheiser sends invitations to MEPs for a trip to the Russian Federation. He asks all interested EU lawmakers to contact his office directly regarding the trip, which will include an "in-person" meeting with members of the Russian State Duma on June 3.
This meeting is scheduled to take place as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum - an annual event often attended by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
Politico also reports that Kartheiser traveled to Moscow last June, despite the threat of expulsion from the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the European Parliament. Ultimately, this occurred, the publication states.
What Kartheiser himself says
Kartheiser himself justified his trip to the Russian Federation - according to him, it was privately funded, and its relevance is "indisputable."
"More and more high-level European politicians are openly calling for the resumption of dialogue with Russia at the ministerial level - in Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Croatia, etc. Therefore, a change in EU policy is only a matter of time,"
However, Kartheiser refused to name the European politicians or officials to whom he sent invitations for the trip to Russia.
Reaction in the EU was swift
Lithuanian MEP Petras Auštrevičius, from the centrist Renew Europe group, called this recruitment campaign an "open attempt" to involve MEPs "in cooperation with Russia as informants, influencers, etc."
He added that this campaign is an attempt to "weaken the West" under the guise of "political diplomacy."
Reminder
Recently, it became known that Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico plans to visit Moscow on Saturday, May 9, to meet with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, but does not intend to attend the military parade.
Prior to this, after a conversation with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Fico stated that Slovakia supports Kyiv's ambitions to join the EU, as it wants Ukraine "to be a stable and democratic country as our neighbor."
Poland, as well as all three Baltic countries, banned Fico from flying over their territory to Moscow for the May 9 parade.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated that Warsaw could forgive Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's visit to Russia if he unblocks aid to Ukraine.