Russian interference in European politics

Last updated

Starting in 2016, Russia has made efforts to influence European politics, in particular, to promote Russian goals, to undermine support for Ukraine, and to destabilize Europe. An important organization in these efforts is the Voice of Europe, a media outlet led by Viktor Medvedchuk and Artem Marchevsky. The Voice of Europe was established in May 2023, headquartered in Prague. Early investigations by Czech authorities determined that the Voice of Europe was one of a number of uncovered influence operations on European politics. In 2024 the Czech secret intelligence service (BIS) uncovered a Russian state financed pro-Russian influence network with the public outlet Voice of Europe, using right-wing and Eurosceptic politicians to influence the European elections and other elections. The network is suspected to have bribed several European politicians from different countries. [1]

Contents

History

In 2016, a website with the name "Voice of Europe" was created in the Netherlands by an entrepreneur that “worked with” far-right leader Thierry Baudet “to bring about the Ukraine referendum,” a Dutch newspaper wrote, referring to a nonbinding vote in which Dutch voters opposed a political association agreement between Ukraine and the European Union. [2]

In 2023, Voice of Europe was relaunched and from then on had an address near Wenceslas Square in Prague. In March 2024, a Polish businessman, Jacek Jakubczyk, took over all shares in the company in the legal form of a s.r.o.

According to a quote of a senior Czech official published by Deník N, “The main purpose of Voice of Europe was to spread the frame that peace is only possible if Ukraine gives up the right to defend its sovereignty and integrity”.

According to BIS, the Voice of Europe was run by Viktor Medvedchuk, a former Ukrainian oligarch who has been close friends with Russian President Putin for many years. Medvedchuk was immediately placed on the sanctions list by the Czech Republic, as was his close associate Artem Marchevsky.

News reports published by the Voice of Europe have stated that foreigners are responsible for more than half of all serious crimes in Frankfurt, Germany, and that French President Macron's campaign on the Russian danger is not appealing to French voters, according to recent polls. Le Monde has reported that the DGSI was investigating a pro-Russian campaign towards the European elections next June. [3]

Investigations, sanctions, and reactions

Voice of Europe has also been put on the sanctions list, meaning all financial assets have been frozen. The news site can continue to operate, but money can no longer be transferred to people affiliated with it.

The Czech foreign ministry sanctioned oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk as well as Voice of Europe itself and a person called Artem Pavlovich Marchevskyi presumed to be involved in the operation. [2]

Polish security services declared, they had carried out searches as part of the cross-border investigation in Warsaw and Tychy in western Poland. Local media cited the security services' statement saying authorities had seized €48,500 and $36,000. [2]

"The Kremlin is using dodgy outlets pretending to be media [and] using money to buy covert influence,” said Czech European Commission Vice President Věra Jourová. [2]

Politicans involved with Voice of Europe

Voice of Europe has provided a media platform for several far-right Eurosceptic parties. The politicians typically promote viewpoints such as: opposing the European Green Deal, predicting the imminent collapse of the European Union, or attacking Ukraine. Politicians promoted by the Voice of Europe include: [2] [1]

Payments to far-right European politicians

Authorities in Germany and Czech Republic determined that Russia used the Voice of Europe organization to provide funds to far-right, Eurosceptic, politicians (mainly in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Hungary and Poland) in order to influence European elections in favour of positions against Ukraine and the European Union. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Euroscepticism</span> Body of criticism of the European Union

Euroscepticism, also spelled as Euroskepticism or EU-scepticism, is a political position involving criticism of the European Union (EU) and European integration. It ranges from those who oppose some EU institutions and policies, and seek reform, to those who oppose EU membership and see the EU as unreformable. The opposite of Euroscepticism is known as pro-Europeanism, or European Unionism.

Russian oligarchs are business oligarchs of the former Soviet republics who rapidly accumulated wealth in the 1990s via the Russian privatisation that followed the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The failing Soviet state left the ownership of state assets contested, which allowed for informal deals with former USSR officials as a means to acquire state property.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viktor Medvedchuk</span> Ukrainian politician, lawyer, and businessman (born 1954)

Viktor Volodymyrovych Medvedchuk, also known as Viktor Vladimirovich Medvedchuk, is a former Ukrainian lawyer, business oligarch, and politician who has lived in exile in Russia since September 2022 after being handed over to Russia in a prisoner exchange. Medvedchuk is a pro-Kremlin Ukrainian politician and a personal friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russia–European Union relations</span> Bilateral relations

Russia–European Union relations are the international relations between the European Union (EU) and Russia. Russia borders five EU member states: Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland; the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad is surrounded by EU members. Until the radical breakdown of relations following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU was Russia's largest trading partner and Russia had a significant role in the European energy sector. Due to that full-scale invasion, relations became very tense after the European Union imposed sanctions against Russia. Russia placed all member states of the European Union on a list of "unfriendly countries", along with NATO members, Switzerland, Ukraine, and several Asia-Pacific countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Conservatives and Reformists</span> European Parliament political group

The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) is a soft Eurosceptic, anti-federalist political group of the European Parliament. The ECR is the parliamentary group of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party European political party (formerly known as the Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe or Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists, but also includes MEPs from four other European parties and thirteen MEPs without European party affiliation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ukrainian oligarchs</span> Businessmen who became rich from Ukrainian privatization in the 1990s

Ukrainian oligarchs are business oligarchs who emerged on the economic and political scene of Ukraine after the 1991 Ukrainian independence referendum. This period saw Ukraine transitioning to a market economy, with the rapid privatization of state-owned assets. Those developments mirrored those of the neighboring post-Soviet states after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Pro-Western sources have criticised Ukraine’s lack of political reform or action against corruption, and the influence of Ukrainian oligarchs on domestic and regional politics, particularly their links to Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thierry Baudet</span> Dutch author and politician (born 1983)

Thierry Henri Philippe Baudet is a Dutch far-right politician, author and self-declared conspiracy theorist. He is the founder and leader of Forum for Democracy (FvD), for which he has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2017. He serves as the party's parliamentary leader. A controversial politician due to his political views, as well as his use of personal attacks against his opponents, he was physically assaulted twice while campaigning in 2023.

M.J.R.L. "Marcel" de Graaff is a Dutch politician. He has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Netherlands since February 2020, and previously served between 2014 and 2019. He represented the Party for Freedom (PVV) and was co-president of the Europe of Nations and Freedom. De Graaff was a member of the Senate of the Netherlands for the PVV from 2011 to 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">112 Ukraine</span> Ukrainian TV channel

112 Ukraine was a private Ukrainian TV channel which provided 24-hour news coverage. 112 Ukraine was available on satellites AMOS 2/3, via the DVB-T2 network, and was also available in packages of all major Ukrainian cable operators until it was banned from broadcasting in Ukraine in February 2021. The channel was focused on live broadcasting.

Freedom and Direct Democracy is a political party in the Czech Republic. It is led by Tomio Okamura and it holds 20 seats in the Chamber of Deputies.

<i>Royal Romance</i> (yacht)

MY Royal Romance is a 92-metre luxury yacht, built by Feadship as hull #1005 and designed by De Voogt Naval Architects. Her interior design is done by Seymour Diamond. She is powered by twin MTU 3,004 hp diesel engines. One of her exterior features includes a swimming pool located on the main aft deck. Royal Romance accommodates 14 guests and 22 crew members. She was delivered to her owner, the Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, in July 2015 and subsequently sold on 31.03.2021. Royal Romance is not available for charter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ukrainian Choice</span> Pro-Russian political organisation in Ukraine

Ukrainian Choice, officially since 2016 named Ukrainian Choice – Right of the People, is an NGO in Ukraine. It was initiated by and is led by the business tycoon Viktor Medvedchuk. In Ukraine it is considered a pro-Russian organisation.

Forum for Democracy is a far-right political party in the Netherlands, founded as a think tank by Thierry Baudet and Henk Otten in 2016. The party first participated in elections in the 2017 general election, winning two seats in the House of Representatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Petr Bystron</span> German politician (born 1972)

Petr Bystron is a German politician. He was a candidate for Munich North for the Bundestag during the German federal election in 2017 for the far-right Alternative for Germany party. Czech intelligent service BIS presented evidence in 2024 that Bystron was bribed by Russia to represent its interests in the European Parliament and German Bundestag.

Identity and Democracy is a far-right political group of the European Parliament, launched on 13 June 2019 for the Ninth European Parliament term. It is composed of nationalist, right-wing populist and eurosceptic national parties from ten European states. It is the successor to the Europe of Nations and Freedom group formed during the eighth term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taras Kozak</span> Ukrainian politician, businessman, and media proprietor

Taras Romanovych Kozak is a pro-Russian Ukrainian politician, state servant, businessman and media proprietor, and a close associate of the pro-Russian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk. He was elected in the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election as a People's Deputy of the 8th convocation for the pro-Russian Opposition Bloc party. In 2019, he was elected a People's Deputy of Ukraine of 9th convocation for the now banned pro-Russian Opposition Platform — For Life party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 European Parliament election</span> Upcoming election for the 10th European Parliament

The 2024 European Parliament election is scheduled to be held from 6 to 9 June. This will be the tenth parliamentary election since the first direct elections in 1979, and the first European Parliament election after Brexit. This election will also coincide with a number of other elections in some European Union member states.

A large part of the right-wing German party Alternative for Germany (AfD) supports Russia, its foreign policy, and its allies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maximilian Krah</span> German politician (born 1977)

Maximilian Krah is a German lawyer and right-wing politician. He is serving as a member of the European Parliament for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

Mikalai Mikalaevich Varabei is a Belarusian businessman. Due to his close relations with Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, the Council of the European Union imposed sanctions on him, as did several non-EU countries.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Belton, Catherine; Mekhennet, Souad (3 June 2024). "Russia co-opts far-right politicians in Europe with cash, officials say". Washington Post . Retrieved 3 June 2024. A Kremlin-backed media outlet — the Prague-based Voice of Europe — funneled hundreds of thousands of euros to far-right politicians, officials say.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Russian influence scandal rocks EU". POLITICO . 2024-03-29. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
  3. ↑ "Czech secret service: Russia paid cash to friendly Dutch and European politicians". Parool (in Dutch). Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Het federaal parket heeft een onderzoek geopend naar Russische inmenging in het Europees Parlement. Dat heeft premier Alexander De Croo vrijdag gezegd". De Tijd (in Dutch). April 12, 2024.
  5. ↑ deutschlandfunk.de. "Affäre um prorussische Desinformation - Generalstaatsanwaltschaft München nimmt Vorermittlungen im Fall Bystron auf". Die Nachrichten (in German). Retrieved 2024-04-09.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.