Moscow weighs in on EU’s ‘Kremlin agents’ rhetoric
Moscow can take it as a compliment that Brussels now labels every reasonable person in the EU a “Kremlin agent,” the vice speaker of the Russian parliament’s upper chamber, Konstantin Kosachev, has said.
Speaking on Friday at the plenary session of the ‘Peoples of Russia and the CIS’ festival, Kosachev said Brussels often portrays conservative politicians in the EU as “pro-Russian forces,” even though they have no ties to Moscow.
“We are accused of somehow supporting them – which is not true. It’s just that these politicians see reality the same way we do,” he told the audience.
“So, it’s a compliment to us when everyone who thinks reasonably and stands for their country’s interests is called a ‘Kremlin agent’,” Kosachev said.
He added that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, like many politicians “disparaged” by the EU, are true patriots of their countries and not “agents of the Kremlin.”
Orban and Fico have consistently criticized the West’s approach to the Ukraine conflict, opposed EU sanctions against Russia, and insisted they will not give up imports of Russian energy, which they describe as essential for their economies. Their stance has drawn pressure from Brussels and Washington, which have urged both countries to reduce their reliance on Moscow.
Earlier this week, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk – a staunch supporter of Ukraine – appeared to target Orban, saying that the Hungarian leader “seems fascinated by Moscow” and is now pursuing a model “somewhat inspired by Russia.”
Both Orban and Fico have repeatedly said that arming Kiev and imposing unprecedented sanctions on Russia have failed to end the hostilities and have instead inflicted enormous economic damage on the bloc’s member states.
