A translator who was present at closed-door top meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in late 2024 was suspected by the European Commission of being an alleged Russian spy.
She was caught taking notes, French newspaper Le Monde reported on July 11, which was strictly forbidden in such confidential high-level meetings.
The incident reportedly took place on December 19, 2024, during a European Council meeting in Brussels, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in attendance.
It happened one month after the election of US President Donald Trump, who had campaigned on ending the Ukrainian war quickly. European leaders were looking for a shared stance on Ukraine to ensure any potential peace deal would not be detrimental to the country.
Belgian authorities were informed of the findings of the internal investigation the EC had and they would now have to decide what course of action to take, if any, regarding the case.
It was Czech interpreters who reportedly noted the allegedly suspect translator taking notes.
They reported it to security services, who caught her doing so. They seized all her materials and escorted her off the premises, Le Monde reported.
On the same day, an investigation was opened, while her accreditation was revoked and she was no longer allowed to enter EC buildings.
The translator, described as “Ms I” by the French newspaper, was reportedly born to Russian parents. She worked as interpreter, for 20 years as a freelancer for NATO, the EC and the French ministries of defence and foreign affairs.
“Ms I trained at the Institute of Translators, Interpreters and International Relations in Strasbourg after earning degrees in English, foreign literature and psychology in Kyiv in 2002,” Le Monde stated.
In a reaction to its report, the EC admitted: “An incident involving note-taking, which is prohibited by our code of conduct, did indeed occur during the December 19, 2024 meeting.
“Ukrainian interpretation was necessary for this meeting because of President Zelensky’s participation. The notes were confiscated. After a careful review of the facts, it was decided to no longer use the interpreter’s services,” Le Monde wrote.
While her work for the French Government was limited, when contacted by Le Monde, French authorities reportedly said they would “draw all the necessary consequences from this incident”.
The General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI), though, responsible in particular for counter-espionage, said it had not received any information about the case.
Despite the December incident, the woman in question remained listed as an accredited interpreter for NATO, the French Permanent Representation to the European Union and the French ministries, according to Le Monde.
Ukrainian embassies in France and Brussels reportedly did not allow her to be present during visits of Zelensky for some time, claiming she allegedly maintained professional relationships with Russian authorities.
In a reaction to Le Monde, the translator said she was “very surprised to be approached about a matter of no interest”. She argued that her continued work with NATO and French ministries proved this was simply a misunderstanding.
She refused to comment on the note-taking incident, stating: “Everything to do with my work as an interpreter is covered by confidentiality and my entire professional life has been marked by respect for professional ethics alone.”
Alleged Bulgarian spies working for Russia targeted Ukrainian soldiers training in Germany, British prosecutors told jurors at the Old Bailey. https://t.co/yjqqJXam9n
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) December 6, 2024
