Poland points to growth of Russian-backed political parties in Europe

The number of political parties that support Russia is increasing in Europe. Bartlomiej Kot, an analyst at the Polish Kazimierz Pulaski Foundation, said on January 8.

"Poland's main problem arising from the growing power of populist parties in Europe, often labeled pro-Russian, is the threat to European solidarity in forming a response to the threat from the East," he said in a conversation with the Polish newspaper Fakt.

According to him, the source of such an increase in support is the growth of problems in the economic sphere, particularly those related to living wages and energy prices.

"Greece needs Russia more than ever."

Kyriakos Velopoulos, leader of the Greek Solution party, on anti-Russian sanctions, negotiations with Moscow and relations with NATO

Earlier in the day, Bundestag deputy from the Alternative for Germany Rainer Rothfuss told Izvestia about the party's hope that the United States under President-elect Donald Trump would create more freedom to normalize mutually beneficial relations between Germany and Russia.

The day before, Francois Asselino, head of the People's Republican Union party, shared with Izvestia that deteriorating relations with Russia are hurting France. He called "great moments in the history of France" the times when there were good relations between the countries. According to the politician, periods of conflicts with Russia have always had a negative impact on France.