One in Ten Sitting MEPs Has Visited Russia Since 2014
The investigative outlet The Insider found that one in ten current members of the European Parliament has visited Russia since the 2014 annexation of Crimea. It describes at least 24 of them as openly pro-Kremlin.
Roughly one in ten current members of the European Parliament (EP) has travelled to Russia since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. This is the finding of the investigative journalism outlet The Insider, which says at least 24 of these lawmakers can be described as openly pro-Kremlin.
Vote on the State Duma
On 8 October, following parliamentary elections in Russia, the European Parliament voted by a large majority to declare the newly elected Russian State Duma illegitimate. The resolution said it had been chosen in a staged "vote" that was neither free nor fair. Even so, 41 MEPs voted against a resolution whose adoption might seem self-evident.
The "Putinversteher" camp in the EP
The outlet notes that even after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the so-called "Putinversteher" "faction" in the European Parliament retains a firm position. The German term refers to people who claim to "understand Putin" and often justify Kremlin policy.
According to The Insider, these deputies continue to travel to Russia, repeat Kremlin messaging and meet Kremlin officials. They have also met intelligence service employees who are involved in running influence networks operating abroad.
