The rise of the far right in the EU: “clearly beneficial” for Putin

The results of this year's European Union elections indicate significant support for many parties that have ties to the Kremlin, or sympathize with Russia. Most importantly, it is possible to view the results of the French, Italian, and German elections as positive from a Russian perspective. This is what SVT's foreign correspondent Karl-Fried Kleberg thinks.

– They want to see the European Union dominated by parties that are closer to Russia and to Putin's view of how things should be, he says.

However, the Kremlin's comments indicate a more cautious stance. Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, believes that the vast majority in the EU Parliament still has a pro-Ukraine and anti-Russian position.

Russian Influence Campaigns – SVT Review

SVT had previously reported on Russian influence campaigns against countries in Europe ahead of the EU elections. The goal was to reduce confidence in governments and favor marginal parties. The campaigns mainly targeted Germany and France.

Russian propaganda spread through social media and earned the name “Doppelgänger”. The campaigns imitated the appearance of news websites such as Germany's Der Spiegel and France's Le Monde, and published articles with propaganda content.

Hear from SVT foreign correspondent Karl-Fried Kleberg about Russia's reactions to the EU elections in the clip.