Luxembourg MEP Fernand Kartheiser is recruiting EU parliamentarians for a private trip to Russia to meet Russian Duma members during the St. Petersburg Economic Forum despite EU sanctions and official dialogue suspension.

Luxembourg MEP Fernand Kartheiser, previously expelled from the European Conservatives and Reformists group due to a prior trip to Russia, is recruiting fellow EU parliamentarians for a trip to Russia. The trip includes a planned in-person meeting with the Russian State Duma members on June 3 during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, an event typically attended by President Vladimir Putin. Despite the suspension of official dialogue between the European Parliament and Russian parliamentary bodies since 2014 and extensive EU sanctions on Russia following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Kartheiser is actively encouraging MEPs to participate privately. His recruitment letter offers assistance with accommodation and personalized invitations. The move has drawn condemnation from EU lawmakers like Lithuanian Petras Auštrevičius, who characterize it as an attempt to recruit MEPs for working with Russia to weaken the West under the guise of political diplomacy. Kartheiser maintains confidentiality about participants to avoid negative repercussions. The European Parliament disavows official engagement with Russian entities during the ongoing conflict.