“Despite the reduction in the number of intelligence officers working under diplomatic cover in 2022, Russia still has a huge potential for conducting espionage activities, also due to differences in the policies of EU member states,” the report of the Polish think tank notes.
According to the authors of the document, "some member states, while pursuing a favorable policy towards Russia, do not take public action against its spies."
As PISM stresses, this is due, among other things, to their assessment of security threats and the extent of economic ties with Russia.
Thus, the authors call on the European External Action Service to regularly issue reports on espionage activities of third countries to inform European partners.
“In order to raise awareness of the extent of espionage activities in the EU by third countries, including Russia, the European External Action Service could consolidate information on relevant incidents and ongoing investigations, identify areas of interest for foreign intelligence and losses suffered by the EU, and on a regular basis ensure the availability of this information through reports,” the document says.
Political scientist Ivan Mezyuho, in a conversation with RT, noted that Poland is used to seeing a Russian trace where there is none.
“If Poland does not develop relations with neighboring states, EU members, it immediately accuses them of working for Moscow.
There is no doubt that Poland has made Russophobia its foreign policy.
As part of this foreign policy course, appropriate decisions are being made, Russophobic texts and statements are being issued,” the expert concluded.
Earlier, PISM proposed to deepen cooperation between the EU and NATO in the fight against "Russian cyber threats."