Fernand Kartheiser’s Putin-cozy course has brought the President of the EU Parliament, Roberta Metsola, into the spotlight – and could now have consequences for the first time. In the past few months, the ADR European Parliamentarian has repeatedly attracted attention for his closeness to Russia. His trip to the economic forum in St. Petersburg with a declaration of intent has now been the last straw. Again Kyiv Independent reported on Monday, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has written to the European Parliament’s Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members to investigate Luxembourg MP Fernand Kartheiser’s ties to Russia.
The committee should therefore investigate whether Kartheiser violated parliament’s rules of conduct. In the letter from the President of the Parliament to the French MEP and President of the Committee Gilles Broyer, who Daily newspaper Just as the declaration of intent is available, the responsible MEPs will be asked to initiate investigations.
Former double agent Fernand Kartheiser shared the President of Parliament’s letter on X on Wednesday afternoon and reacted for the first time to the procedure initiated against him. “First of all, I have to express my surprise that I was not informed about this letter by the parliamentary administration,” comments Kartheiser. Since May 2025, he has openly and transparently initiated and continued an informal dialogue with Russian parliamentarians. “I find it astonishing that the European Parliament is only now ‘discovering’ this activity and opening proceedings against me, while my social media accounts are full of my related activities and reports on this issue. The matter has been public knowledge for more than a year.” It was “surprising” that Parliament took action at a time when a European negotiating mandate was being discussed. “No activity aimed at peace or international understanding can ever be viewed as undermining the dignity or credibility of an institution,” Kartheiser continues. A decision aimed at preventing informal dialogue would not strengthen the credibility of the parliament, but would send another negative signal, said the Luxembourg politician. “Numerous heads of state and government have now called for dialogue with Russia.”
In a statement, ADR President Alexandra Schoos simply refers to the current work of the “Advisory Committee” because it “does not interfere in the affairs of the European Parliament”.
Letter from Metsola to Parliament
According to Metsola, Kartheiser’s visit to the “St. Petersburg Economic Forum”, a propaganda event of the Putin regime, and the declaration of intent “contain statements that raise serious concerns, especially because it could give the impression that an informal communication channel exists between the European Parliament and the State Duma of the Russian Federation in the name of parliamentary diplomacy,” Metsola addressed the parliamentary committee. Such an impression would seriously misrepresent the position of the European Parliament, an institution that has repeatedly and unequivocally condemned Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and has always expressed its full solidarity with Ukraine and its people. “In addition, the European Parliament has officially stopped cooperation with the State Duma; no official delegation has been sent to Russia since the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.”
disinformation
Kartheiser’s own initiative to have organized a total of four conferences with Russian representatives would also circumvent the Presidential Conference’s decision that this position may not be circumvented through individual meetings with Russian interlocutors who are subject to EU restriction measures.
Specifically, Kartheiser is accused of violating the EU Parliament’s transparency guidelines. Accordingly, EU parliamentarians must publicly announce meetings with representatives of other countries. Participation in third-party events where travel, accommodation or subsistence costs are covered must also be reported to the President of the EU Parliament. “I would be grateful if the committee could examine the situation and assess whether Mr. Kartheiser or other members concerned may have violated the code of conduct,” Parliament President Roberta Metsola concludes her remarks.
“Normalization of the relationship” between Russia and the EU
In the “St. Petersburg Declaration” cited, the authors boast of having established a “parliamentary dialogue” between the Duma and members of the EU Parliament, which is manifested through four video conferences and four face-to-face events in Sochi, Geneva, Istanbul and St. Petersburg. On the dem Daily newspaper Neither the names nor the signatures of the signatories can be found in this letter. They declare their willingness to support “all concrete initiatives aimed at improving and normalizing the relationship” between Russia and the EU.
If the responsible committee decides that Kartheiser has violated the parliament’s code of conduct, sanctions could be imposed against the Luxembourger. Loud Kyiv Independent These could be fines – or a ban on representing Parliament externally. Kartheiser apparently still has access to confidential parliamentary documents – because blocking this access is also on the committee’s sanctions list.
Because of him Kartheiser had connections to Russia in June 2025 has already been excluded from his group in the European Parliament – the “European Conservatives and Reformers” (ECR). Kartheiser regularly shares Russian propaganda on social media. The In recent weeks, ADR has asked parliamentary questions about Luxembourg’s critical infrastructure and protection against disinformation campaigns from abroad. Events that raise further questions about Russia’s hybrid warfare and Kartheiser’s proximity to Moscow.
