From his top-floor residence in the house he shares with a senior Russian diplomat, Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, a key backer of far-right candidate Marine Le Pen’s French presidential campaign, is actively working on strategies to bring pro-Moscow politicians to power.
Schaffhauser, a former representative of Le Pen’s party in the European Parliament, predicts a significant shift in Western European governments and emphasizes the need to take control of the leadership.
“We have to change all governments… All governments in Western Europe will be changed,” he said in an interview with the Washington Post.
His long-standing efforts to foster an alliance between Russia and Europe faced setbacks after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022. However, amid the challenges Kiev faces in counteroffensive and economic difficulties in Europe, Schaffhauser and his Russian aides see a new opportunity. Kremlin documents reviewed by the Washington Post reveal Moscow’s attempts to undermine French support for Kiev through a covert propaganda campaign in Western Europe.
Sergei Kiriyenko, first deputy chief of staff in President Vladimir Putin’s administration, tasked Kremlin strategists with sowing political discord in France by using social media and influencing political figures. The goal is to reduce support for Ukraine and weaken NATO’s resolve. Similar tactics are being seen in Germany, where the Kremlin is seeking an anti-war alliance between the far right and the far left.
Kremlin documents obtained by the European security service detail efforts to shape public opinion in France. Moscow believes France is vulnerable to political turmoil, citing polls showing a favorable opinion of Russia among 30% of the French population. Kremlin strategists aim to reinforce messages that portray Western sanctions as damaging to the French economy and the supply of weapons to Ukraine as a threat to France’s defense capabilities.
Pro-Russian social media accounts are increasingly visible in France, even as President Emmanuel Macron maintains broad support for Ukraine. Concerns are growing ahead of European Parliament elections in June, with the European Union (EU)‘s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, warning this month that the election could be as “dangerous as America’s”, “driven by fear” stemming from rising inequality and security threats.
Kremlin troll farms, the documents revealed, produce content critical of Western support for the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Kremlin aims to exploit divisions and promote narratives such as the economic impact of sanctions on France and fears of a direct conflict with Russia that would lead to World War III.
In late June, after riots broke out in Paris over the police killing of a teenager of Moroccan and Algerian descent, a pro-Russian social media network became very active, according to a study by Alto Intelligence, a leading cybersecurity firm that tracks unusual digital media activity across Europe. Among the most prolific accounts, 24.2 percent included pro-Russian posts in the comments. Most of the accounts were linked to far-right French politicians like Eric Zemmour or Le Pen, Alto found. Concerns are growing that Russia could exacerbate the growing tensions surrounding the conflict between Israel and Gaza.
In France, suspicions of Russian interference led to parliamentary inquiries in May, with the French parliament concluding that “Russia is conducting a long-term disinformation campaign to defend and advance its interests.” Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party, formerly known as the National Front, was singled out for maintaining privileged ties to the Kremlin in the investigation report.
At the time the report was published, Le Pen told reporters that the investigation had not found “a shred of evidence to prove Russian influence on the National Assembly.”
The investigation raised questions about financial support from Russia, including loans arranged by Schaffhauser for Le Pen’s party. While Le Pen has become less vocal about ties to Moscow, her far-right party has abstained or voted against key measures to support Ukraine in the French parliament. Some far-right activists, such as Thierry Mariani, a member of the European Parliament, have become more outspoken against Western support for Ukraine. For example, the parliamentary report claims that he led delegations of the National Assembly in Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.
Amid these developments, Schaffhauser intends to facilitate Moscow’s reconnection with Europe, proposing the establishment of a Kremlin-backed foundation to advocate for a ceasefire in Ukraine. It plans to promote a list of new far-right leaders in Western Europe with ties to Moscow ahead of EU parliamentary elections. Schaffhauser denies acting on behalf of Russia, but acknowledges regular funding from a Russian diplomat in Paris.
A French parliamentary investigation warns that Moscow’s influence is particularly strong among former French officials, especially retired officers. As tensions rise over the conflict between Israel and Gaza, Schaffhauser suggests to the Post that the Kremlin’s confidence is growing, making it easier for Russia to foment unrest in the West.
