Germany: Alternative for Germany © AFP A document stating that Markus Frohnmaier, a far-right parliamentarian and member of the AfD, could become “absolutely controlled” by Russia was reported by the BBC in April. The document was a strategy paper submitted to the Kremlin detailing attempts to influence public opinion and decision makers across the EU. Mr Frohnmaier, who has denied knowledge of the document and said he was never under anyone’s control, has frequently spoken out against EU sanctions against Russia, and made trips to Crimea and separatist-controlled parts of eastern Ukraine. However, there is no evidence that the Kremlin acted on the document and provided any material support to Frohnmaier’s campaign. The AfD leader Alexander Gauland has met the Russian anti-western ideologue Alexander Dugin. Other AfD politicians have frequently attended the Yalta International Economic Forum, an economic conference that has taken place in Crimea since 2015, a year after Russia annexed the peninsula. In February 2017, Frauke Petry, then leader of the AfD, held talks in Moscow with Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the Russian Duma and one of the most powerful men in the ruling United Russia party. Many AfD politicians have worked as “election observers” in Kremlin-controlled elections.
France: National Rally © AFP Marine Le Pen, the party’s leader, has supported Russia’s annexation of Crimea in statements. Ahead of France’s 2017 election, in which she vied with Emmanuel Macron for the presidency, she assured Mr Putin during an official visit that, if elected, she “would envisage lifting [EU] sanctions quite quickly”. In 2014 the National Rally, formerly the National Front, took loans from Russia worth €11m. One, for €9m, came from First Czech-Russian Bank, a small lender with links to the Kremlin. The National Rally’s long history of racism and anti-Semitism mean that French banks will not loan it money. The loans were orchestrated by Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, an MEP and National Rally operative with longstanding links to Russia. The party’s treasurer, Wallerand de Saint Just, travelled to Moscow in September 2014 to close the deal. First Czech-Russian Bank’s licence was revoked in a crackdown in 2014. As the party geared up for the 2017 national campaign, Mr Saint Just said: “The loss of the FCRB was a hard blow for us?.?.?.?The Russia loan was a stable resource. Now we are still searching for loans.” In February Aymeric Chauprade, an MEP and former National Rally member, accused fellow MEPs of being “obsessionally Russophobic” for criticising his choice of new intern, Elizaveta Peskova, daughter of Mr Putin’s top aide and spokesman, Dmitry Peskov.
Hungary: Jobbik Previously a pro-Russian force, Jobbik now has less Russian influence as ties between Fidesz and the Kremlin have improved. Ironically, some Jobbik party leaders are now vociferously decrying Mr Orban’s ties to the Kremlin. In 2014 Bela Kovacs, a Hungarian representative in the European Parliament and a Jobbik member, was accused on spying on EU institutions for Russia. Prosecutors allege he had “regular, continuous contact” with Russian agents beginning in 2010. His trial is ongoing. Mr Kovacs denies the charges. Former party leader Gabor Vona has visited Moscow several times, speaking at Moscow State University and meeting with Duma leaders including Ivan Grachev and Vasily Tarasyuk — though never with Mr Putin himself. Jobbik party members have also travelled to Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine to monitor and legitimise Russia-sponsored elections. The party was openly critical of the EU and Hungary’s “Euro-Atlantic” foreign policy orientation. It has referred to the referendum in Crimea, seen by critics as a Russian rubber stamp process for it’s annexation of the region, as “exemplary”.
UK: Brexit party © Getty Allegations of links to Russia have dogged the campaign to Leave the EU since before the 2016 Brexit referendum. One name appears repeatedly in reference to Russia links: Arron Banks, the biggest donor to the Leave campaign and a close associate of Brexit party leader Nigel Farage. Mr Banks had a total of three meetings with Alexander Yakovenko in the build-up to and after the EU referendum in June 2016, and bragged about a boozy lunch with the Russian ambassador in 2015. Aides at Leave.EU — the pro-Brexit campaign group Mr Banks bankrolled — also had contact with Russians during the campaign. Mr Farage and Mr Banks have denied any wrongdoing or undue influence. The Brexit party is poised to top the UK polls in this week’s European elections. However, the European Parliament’s advisory committee is set to investigate Mr Farage for possible campaign finance violations for funds received from Mr Banks in the year after the Brexit referendum. The £450,000 donation paid for Mr Farage’s London home, car and trips abroad to meet US president Donald Trump.