According to Kartheiser, during meetings with Russian representatives in Moscow on the occasion of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War celebrations, it was proposed to establish a permanent video conference with MEPs and organize future personal visits.

Kartheiser also stated that the EU has no choice but to resume formal diplomatic relations with Moscow, especially if Brussels is interested in resolving the conflict in Ukraine.

“The EU wants to play some role in Ukraine once the peace talks are concluded, so it has no choice but to cooperate with Russia. I cannot say exactly when or under what circumstances, but the fact itself is beyond doubt,” the MEP said.

Kartheiser leads the right-wing, Luxembourg-based Alternative Democratic Reform Party, for which he was elected to the European Parliament in 2024. He has previously repeatedly advocated for the normalization of relations between the EU and Russia.

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