After SVP scandal: These right-wing parties in Europe are behind Zelenskyj – and these are not just 29 caricatures showing what is going on in Trumpistan

Germany: AfD politicians are welcome guests in Moscow

In Germany, those who sympathize with or at least understand Vladimir Putin often vote for the Left Party, but more often for the right-wing AfD. While much more radical than the SVP on most points, AfD MPs did not go so far as to boycott a speech by Zelenskyj when the Ukrainian president joined the Bundestag in March 2022.

Selenskyj addressed his audience, reminding them of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was supposed to bring Russian gas to Germany, but also of World War II, during which German soldiers raged not least in Ukraine. Finally, all MPs – including those from the AfD and Die Linke – stood up and applauded the president for just under a minute.

That does not prevent either side from cultivating pro-Russian sentiment. They are especially successful in East Germany. AfD politicians speak out against arms shipments to Ukraine and call for an end to sanctions against Russia; some of them tour Russian talk shows. Party leader Tino Chrupalla and honorary chairman Alexander Gauland recently caused a stir when they attended a celebration at the Russian embassy on May 9, World War II Victory Day. (hfm)

France: Marine Le Pen gives Selenskyj the cold shoulder

The French right-wing populist Marine Le Pen maintains a similar distance to Zelenskyj as the SVP in Switzerland. At least that was the case last year: when the Ukrainian president connected via video to the National Assembly in Paris in March 2022, Le Pen was absent.

She has other commitments and therefore cannot attend Selenskyj’s performance, she explained. It soon became clear that the real reason lay elsewhere – namely her long-standing association with Vladimir Putin: in the same breath she refused to call Putin a war criminal; she also found that Selenskyj “deserved no special admiration”.

Meanwhile, French right-wing populists have toned down their pro-Russian discourse somewhat, realizing that this was not well received in France. Party leader Jordan Bardella stood up in the French parliament like most MEPs when Zelensky appeared there in the spring. Le Pen himself made a surprise appearance at a pro-Ukrainian hearing in Paris. (bra)

Austria: Open friendship of the FPÖ with Russia

Volodymyr Zelenskyj also spoke at the parliament in Vienna. And this also caused very divided reactions in Austria. A personal speech was not desired, the compromise was a video connection. And the representatives of the right-wing FPÖ and about half of the SPÖ deputies stayed away. It was no surprise that the FPÖ would do that. The absence of the SPÖ people before.

The Russophile position of the FPÖ is open. Since 2016, the party had a cooperation agreement with the United Russia Kremlin Party. They say the contract has expired. But that has not changed the party’s attitude towards Russia. Party leader Kickl demonstratively did not want to condemn the attack on Ukraine. He called the EU sanctions “pointless” and criticized the “one-sidedness” of the debate. At the same time, the FPÖ went on a rampage against Ukrainian refugees in the country. All this with an appeal to neutrality. (pc)

Hungary: Viktor Orban says war in Ukraine ‘is not our war’

Hungary is dependent on Russian energy supplies. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán maintains a direct relationship with Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin. The war in Ukraine is “not our war,” says Orbán. Instead, he prefers to present himself as a supporter of a peaceful solution and criticizes both NATO and the EU for their arms supplies to Ukraine.

Orbán has not said a word about what forced peace negotiations or an end to aid to Ukraine would mean for the country. To make matters worse, a dispute over the rights of the Hungarian minority in the extreme southwest of Ukraine has been smoldering for years between Ukraine and Hungary. (tsi)

Poland: Hardly anyone is closer to Kiev

While many other right-wing European parties often find it difficult to distance themselves from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the situation is different in Poland. Hardly any other European government has done as much for the country since February 24, 2022 as the national conservative Polish governing party Law and Justice (PiS).

Poland has hosted 1.5 million refugees from Ukraine since the war began – even though there were about two million Ukrainians in Poland before the war. As for Ukraine, there is an overwhelming consensus. In no other matter are politics and society more united. (tsi)

Italy: Meloni is located on the Kiev-Salvini side closer to Moscow

The Italian parliament was one of the first in Europe to be addressed by Zelensky via video link: his appearance took place on March 22, 2022, almost a month after the Russian invasion. The then head of government was Mario Draghi. There was a standing ovation for the Ukrainian president in parliament – ​​but not from everyone. About forty members of Matteo Salvini’s Lega and also some exponents of Forza Italia of Silvio Berlusconi, who died earlier this week, boycotted the speech. Berlusconi was considered an ardent Putin fan, Salvini still is.

Draghi’s successor, Giorgia Meloni, who – unlike Salvini and Berlusconi – was in the opposition at the time, had always emphasized from the beginning of the war that she supported Ukraine without ifs and buts. She made this very clear to her two pro-Russian coalition partners, Salvini and Berlusconi, after winning the election.

A few months after the right-wing parties won the election, Selensky would have loved to address the Italian public again – at the Sanremo Schlager Festival. Salvini didn’t like it at all: “Zelenskyj? I don’t know how he sings, but I have other preferences,” said the Lega boss. Zelenskyy was not allowed to appear via video, but he could send his speech in writing. This was then read by the main presenter long after midnight on the last night of the festival. (dst)

Serbia: Split relationship within right

The Serbian Nationalist ruling party is possibly Europe’s most divided right-wing party with its stance on the war in Ukraine. Belgrade traditionally maintains good relations with Moscow, which is seen by many as a large Slavic Orthodox sister state. All polls show that more than 80 percent of all Serbs reject sanctions against Russia.

Serbia has also so far not joined the sanctions against Russia, arguing that sanctions would be against the country’s interests. Like Hungary, Serbia in particular is dependent on Russian natural gas.

Nevertheless, on the sidelines of the last WEF in Davos, President Vucic emphasized that from a Serbian perspective, Donbass and Crimea are part of Ukraine. Both Vucic and the Serbian government have repeatedly reiterated this position. The reason: With Kosovo declaring independence in 2008, the country is in a similar situation to Ukraine. (tsi)

Scandinavia: Close ranks in the north

In the Scandinavian countries there were always right-wing exponents who sympathized with the Kremlin or maintained close contacts with Russia. However, such politicians were isolated after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 at the latest.

There was no place for those who understood Putin after the aggressor became increasingly dangerous in the immediate vicinity of the Scandinavians. There were no objections, let alone protests, to President Zelensky’s speeches in the parliaments in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo and Helsinki, but applause from all sides. (nan) (aargauerzeitung.ch)