EU Parliament's Conservatives expel Luxembourgish MEP for trip to Moscow

Published on 26/05/2025 - 14:41 GMT+2

The European Conservatives and Reformists group successful nan European Parliament is group to expel Luxembourgish MEP Fernand Kartheiser from its ranks for arranging a travel to Moscow.

Kartheiser, a erstwhile diplomat and ambassador to respective European countries, is presently successful Moscow wherever he was invited by nan Russian Parliament, aliases Duma, to discuss bilateral relations, Russia’s relations pinch world organisations and nan existent business successful Ukraine. 

“Given that nan European Parliament is blocking MEPs’ negotiated efforts to meet pinch nan Russian Federation, I americium backing this ngo to Moscow myself,” he told Euronews earlier nan two-day travel to meet members of nan Russian authorities and Parliament.

But chap MEPs from nan right-wing group were unimpressed. "By travelling to Putin’s Russia, Fernand Kartheiser has crossed a reddish statement for nan ECR Group. We will return decisive action to terminate his group rank arsenic soon arsenic possible,” said ECR co-Chairmen Nicola Procaccini and Patryk Jaki successful a connection shared pinch Euronews.

Kartheiser could beryllium formally expelled arsenic soon arsenic adjacent week during a group meeting, according to a root acquainted pinch nan party, arsenic fewer MEPs are successful Brussels this week. An absolute mostly of votes among nan group’s members is required to exclude him. 

The ECR group has a patient stance connected nan Russian warfare successful Ukraine, condemning nan penetration and demanding full support for Ukraine for arsenic agelong arsenic it takes.

“We proceed to emphasise our backing for nan sovereignty, territorial integrity, defence and independency of Ukraine,” an ECR spokesperson told Euronews successful a written connection connected nan matter.

A caller push for negotiated relations?

Kartheiser is not nan first MEP to embark connected a travel to Russia since nan penetration of Ukraine. 

While nan European Parliament has suspended immoderate ties pinch its Russian counterpart and nary charismatic delegation has been sent to Russia since nan invasion, immoderate of its members person travelled location successful a individual capacity.

For example, 5 MEPs took portion successful nan Victory Day’s parade successful Moscow connected 9 May: Michael von der Schulenburg and Ruth Firmenich from Germany’s extremist near BSW party, Ľuboš Blaha from Slovakia’s ruling Smer party, Czech independent MEP Ondřej Dostál and Cypriot independent MEP Fidias Panayiotou. 

Slovenia’s president Nataša Pirc Musar called for renewed speech betwixt nan EU and Russia successful a caller question and reply pinch Politico, saying that EU Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen is “working connected that”. On nan matter, a spokesperson from nan Commission said connected Monday: "We are willing successful bringing each nan parties concerned together astatine nan table, and to talk a ceasefire, successful position of achieving peace".