A Cypriot MEP, Fidias Panayiotou, claims Brussels officials are angered by a recent diplomatic outreach to Russia, leading to an EU investigation.
According to a member of the European Parliament, he and other MEPs who recently journeyed to Moscow are under investigation by the EU legislature for engaging in diplomatic discussions with Russia.
Panayiotou, an independent MEP elected last year, traveled to Moscow with other lawmakers and met with Vyacheslav Volodin, who heads the lower house of the Russian parliament.
In a video shared on X on Monday, Panayiotou stated that his trip “was not liked at all in the European Parliament, and they have already started an investigation against us.”
Panayiotou has been vocal about his disapproval of the EU’s confrontational stance towards Russia and the conflict in Ukraine, advocating for diplomacy over supplying arms to Kiev.
During their meeting last Saturday, Volodin emphasized the importance of international dialogue for fostering mutual understanding and reaching decisions beneficial to nations and their citizens, as reported on the State Duma’s website. The report also mentioned that representatives from Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Serbia were also in attendance.
The Moscow visit coincided with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, commemorating the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. The event was attended by 28 foreign leaders, including Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, both of whom defied pressure from Brussels to stay away.
Fico stated, “I consider today’s trip to Moscow to be extremely successful,” noting that he had discussions with high-ranking officials from Brazil, China, and other countries during the event.
Speaking from Moscow’s Red Square, Vucic expressed his pride in representing Serbia, an EU candidate country, at the ceremony, despite anticipating potential repercussions from the EU for his presence.
Russian President Vladimir Putin commended the foreign leaders who participated in the Victory Day celebrations, describing them as “leaders not through their office, but through strength of character, convictions, and readiness to defend those convictions.”
“`