Kenneth Glad
A subtle but meaningful shift is unfolding inside the European Union. Conversations that once moved freely are now more measured, sometimes deliberately limited. What unsettles officials most is not confirmed leaks, but the growing expectation that sensitive discussions might not remain contained.
The EU’s system depends on discretion, especially when coordinating responses to Russia’s war in Ukraine. That balance is starting to wobble.
Diplomats say exchanges have become more selective, particularly on classified matters. In practice, this can slow decisions, with some negotiations on sanctions and security increasingly shifting into smaller, informal settings.
As one senior diplomat told Politico: “We are taking every possible precaution to protect confidential meetings and information.” The change reflects a broader adjustment in behavior rather than a single breach.
This is not entirely new territory for Brussels, but officials say the stakes are higher now, and patience for risk is lower.
Spotlight on Germany
Part of the unease, according to Latvija Avize, centers on Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), whose representatives can access shared EU systems containing detailed records from high-level discussions.
People with direct knowledge of how these platforms are used told Politico that the concern is less about formal permissions and more about what happens after access.
Roland Theis, a conservative German lawmaker involved in EU affairs, said “their obvious closeness to Putin… is causing sleepless nights for everyone who cares about national security.”
Anton Hofreiter, chairman of the Bundestag’s EU affairs committee, said: “The problem is that we have a party – the Alternative for Germany – that is well-foundedly suspected of leaking information to China or Russia.”
AfD officials reject the accusations. Still, in Brussels, suspicion alone is already changing behavior.
Hungary questions persist
Separate concerns linked to Hungary continue to circulate. The Washington Post reported that Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó allegedly passed updates from EU meetings to Russia’s Sergei Lavrov.
“At every EU meeting for years, Moscow has essentially been at the table,” an unnamed European security official said.
Szijjártó dismissed the claims as “fake news,” while Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said: “We have long suspected this.”
Different cases, same effect: Hesitation. Even the possibility of information slipping out is enough to make governments hold back, complicating coordination when unity is most needed.
Sources: Latvija Avize, Politico, The Washington Post
