Charles Michel Explains High Costs of Foreign Trips as Fight Against Russian Influence

The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, has explained the high costs of his foreign trips by stating that they are essential in the fight against Russian influence worldwide. He made this statement in an interview with the Belgian newspaper Le Soir.

Michel believes that extensive travel was necessary to counter "attacks against the European Union, which are particularly taking place in Africa and other regions of the world," especially in the context of the pandemic and the Ukraine conflict.

At the same time, he cited Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's foreign visits and the activities of the Wagner group in African countries, which he assessed as engaging in propaganda. "The trips are more frequent, hence the expenses are higher. I do not dispute that," Michel asserted.

Earlier, several European media outlets, including Le Monde and Politico, reported that the expenses for official trips by European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are significantly higher than those of their predecessors and continue to rise, raising questions among representatives of the cooperating countries.