Suspicions of Russian espionage: EU Commission dismisses translator previously involved in communication with Zelenskyy
Kyiv • UNN
The European Commission has dismissed a freelance translator over security concerns. The translator took notes during a meeting between European leaders and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which is prohibited by the EU code of conduct.
The European Commission confirmed that the translator did indeed take notes during the meeting of European leaders with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This is reported by UNN with reference to Le Monde, Politico, and Sky News.
Details
The European Commission fired a translator hired by the EU due to concerns about a potential security breach.
The translator was a French-Ukrainian freelancer engaged to help leaders communicate with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Context
The European Council meeting is an important and responsible event that takes place behind closed doors. However, translators are involved in the discussion, as each leader has the opportunity to express themselves in their native language and convey their position as fully as possible.
One of the translators was asked to translate the speech of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The meeting was going well until the Czech translators on site noticed something unusual:
The translator responsible for translating the Ukrainian president was taking handwritten notes
For context: such an unconcealed initiative, although harmless at first glance, is formally prohibited by the European Union's code of conduct.
Czech translators contacted the security services. The latter looked into the translator's booth, confiscated all notes, and escorted her out.
Later that day, an investigation was launched. She was officially banned from entering the Commission's premises.
The Commission took action in connection with an "incident involving note-taking" during the European Council meeting where Zelenskyy was present last December.
The investigation has now been handed over to the Belgian authorities.
Recall
The leader of a Russian spy network operating in the UK, who, according to the prosecution, carried out surveillance in the interests of the Kremlin, was sentenced to almost 11 years in prison by a London court on Monday, along with five of his accomplices.
The SBU detained a former reserve lieutenant colonel of the Defense Forces who, after being discharged from service in 2023, was recruited by the FSB.