Media: EU lawmaker invites MEPs to meet Russian parliamentarians in St. Petersburg

A member of the European Parliament from Luxembourg has invited colleagues to take part in a planned meeting with representatives of the Russian State Duma in St. Petersburg next month, according to a letter circulated within parliamentary circles.

As reported by Caliber.Az, the information was shared on X by Rikard Jozwiak, editor at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

In the message, MEP Fernand Kartheiser said that a “further in-person meeting” between members of the European Parliament and the Russian lower house is being organised for June 3, on the margins of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

He noted that the initiative follows what he described as a “successful and constructive” meeting held in Istanbul on May 17, which brought together interested parliamentarians from both sides.

Kartheiser encouraged colleagues to inform his office by May 6 if they wished to participate in the proposed discussions. He also indicated that logistical assistance, including help with accommodation, could be provided, and that personalised invitations to the economic forum would be issued in due course.

The European Parliament has not formally commented on the initiative. Any participation by MEPs in meetings involving Russian officials would be politically sensitive, given strained relations between the European Union and Russia since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and the EU’s continued sanctions policy.

The proposed gathering in St. Petersburg, if it goes ahead, would take place alongside the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, an annual event hosted by Russia that brings together political and business figures from various countries, though attendance by Western officials has significantly decreased in recent years.

By Aghakazim Guliyev