The Kremlin is using the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2026 to build a “parallel diplomacy” network with European far-right politicians. High-ranking members of Germany’s AfD and Luxembourgish MEP Fernand Kartheiser attended the early June event to coordinate with Russian officials, promoting a “sovereigntist” bloc and advocating for the end of EU sanctions.
The AfD delegation included Markus Frohnmaier, Steffen Kotré, Jörg Urban, and Petr Bystron. The lawmakers traveled to St. Petersburg following invitations from Anton Kobyakov, a key aide to Vladimir Putin. In St. Petersburg, the delegation echoed Kremlin strategic narratives, calling for “European sovereignty” to decouple the continent from US influence.
Luxembourgish MEP Fernand Kartheiser used Russian state media, including TASS, to recruit other members of the European Parliament to attend the forum. Kartheiser stated he extended these invitations to help colleagues “understand the need for dialogue with Russia.” This recruitment drive follows his June 2025 expulsion from the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group after a previous visit to Moscow.
European political establishments have reacted sharply. German officials warned of “espionage risks” associated with the AfD’s travel to Russia. The ECR group previously characterized Kartheiser’s independent Moscow trips as crossing a “political red line.”
The forum serves as a strategic hub for the Kremlin to attract European political figures marginalized by the EU’s official sanctions regime. By positioning SPIEF as a venue for “pragmatic dialogue,” Russia is attempting to build a pro-Russian “sovereigntist” network within European legislatures.
The recruitment efforts at SPIEF 2026 highlight a Russian strategy to cultivate European lawmakers who advocate for the removal of sanctions. This approach leverages the marginalization of these figures within their own national and European political groups to establish a “sovereigntist” bridge between the Kremlin and European legislative bodies.