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Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
An interpreter working for the European Commission has been dismissed over suspicions of spying for Russia, after allegedly taking notes during a high-level meeting in Brussels last December, Le Monde reports.
At a closed-door meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and EU heads of state and government, a Ukrainian interpreter was caught taking notes – an act strictly prohibited in such a context, according to a report by Le Monde.
Leaders were discussing Ukraine’s battlefield posture and ongoing European military support in the wake of US President Trump's re-election the month before.
Czech interpreters reportedly observed the interpreter taking notes. Commission officials then entered the booth, seized the notes, and expelled her from Commission premises.
An internal Commission investigation has since concluded. Belgian authorities will decide whether to pursue the case further and assess if the incident is part of a broader Russian espionage operation.
Le Monde identified the interpreter as Ms M, a dual French and Ukrainian national. Of Russian descent, she has lived in Ukraine for several years. Together with her sister, she has freelanced as an interpreter for EU institutions, French ministries, and NATO for over two decades.
The European Commission confirmed the incident. “The notes were confiscated. After a careful examination of the facts, it was decided to no longer use the interpreter’s services,” a spokesperson told Le Monde.
Ms M remains formally listed as an interpreter with NATO, the French Permanent Representation in Brussels, and several French ministries. French authorities have stated they will “draw all the necessary consequences of the incident.”
The interpreter has been blacklisted by Ukrainian authorities, who suspect her of maintaining professional ties with Russian officials.
When questioned by Le Monde, Ms M responded that her work is bound by confidentiality and insisted she has always upheld "respect" for the ethical standards of her profession.
The case surfaces as Brussels continues to reel from a separate wave of lobbying and corruption scandals involving alleged influence operations linked to Chinese tech giant Huawei.
(aw)
