EU parliamentarians fear FvD MEP Marcel de Graaff is colluding with Russia

The European Parliament should investigate whether FVD MEP Marcel de Graaff is willingly colluding with Russia, according to a number of his colleagues. They said they are shocked by the "Russian propaganda" that De Graaff allegedly spread.

The MEPs, including VVD member Catharina Rinzema, will ask European Parliament President Roberta Metsola to expand the legislative body’s ongoing investigation into influence from Russia. This is currently focused on Latvian parliamentarian Tatjana Zdanoka.

De Graaff has defended Russia for some time, but he drew ire from colleagues after statements he made on Wednesday during meetings in Strasbourg. He called reports about the deportation of Ukrainian children "pure propaganda" and claimed that Russia is actually saving them from bombings.

Parliament cannot allow such "blatant lies,” and cannot afford to ignore them, Rinzema and her supporters believe. Rinzema, and her colleagues Rasa Juknevičienė from Lithuania and Hilde Vautmans from Belgium, are currently seeking the backing of other MEPs for their request for a wider investigation.

The investigation into Zdanoka should be broadened, the three wrote in a letter to Metsola. It should now focus on the dissemination of Russian propaganda throughout parliament.