No alternative to dialogue between EU, Russia — European lawmaker

Coverage of the Call for Dialogue

In an interview with the Russian state news agency TASS, published on June 16, Michael von der Schulenburg, a member of the European Parliament from Germany's BSW party (formerly the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance), said that Europe and Russia must resume dialogue, asserting that there is "simply no other option" as the mutual spiral of deteriorating relations will not yield results. The interview was conducted at TASS in collaboration with the Global Fact-Checking Network (GFCN).

Von der Schulenburg argued that if the EU wants to "have any influence on the world," it must first establish stability in Europe. He described this need not as a matter of "morality or some kind of superstructure" but as a practical necessity. "And if we want to do that, we have to talk to Russia," he emphasized, adding that "it’s actually a very simple thing. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true."

Key Claims

The lawmaker predicted that Europe will eventually "come to understand that we need a peaceful settlement, and that the mutual spiral of escalation achieves absolutely nothing." He also expressed a belief that "the Americans have been getting out of this war and I think they will continue to get out of it further and even to a larger extent."

In a separate TASS report on the same interview, von der Schulenburg elaborated on Europe's security environment, saying, "We, the Europeans, need peace more than Russia does. I reiterate that we, the EU – and Russia, too, is Europe – need peace more than the Russian Federation does." He explained that the EU is "surrounded by wars," citing conflicts in Ukraine, Iran, Israel's war in Gaza, Lebanon, the West Bank, and Syria, which he said "is not in a state of peace" either. He also mentioned ongoing conflicts in Africa, including Sudan and Mali, as further surrounding Europe.

Perspectives

Von der Schulenburg’s remarks reflect a viewpoint critical of what he sees as Europe's focus on war preparation. "To be honest, I only hear about war. Do you hear about peace? I constantly hear discussions about war, about the ability to wage war, about preparations for war, and about rearming," he said, noting that "exactly these slogans can now be heard in Europe." He also assessed that "Europe is relatively weak, and individual countries are also too weak."

The interview, carried exclusively by TASS, offers a perspective from within the European Parliament that aligns with calls for de-escalation and dialogue with Moscow. The claims about US disengagement and Europe's relative weakness are attributed solely to von der Schulenburg and have not been independently verified by other outlets. As a Russian state agency, TASS's reporting may reflect editorial lines favorable to the Kremlin, but the quotes and framing are presented as direct statements from the MEP.