Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel distanced himself on Friday from Luxembourgish MEP Fernand Kartheiser, after Politico reported that Kartheiser had invited other EU parliamentarians to accompany him on an upcoming visit to Russia.
"Mr Kartheiser is not my spokesperson, and I'll say this very clearly: before negotiations can take place, Russia must show a willingness for peace, and currently that is not the case," Bettel said.
Kartheiser, who has repeatedly faced criticism over his proximity to Russia and his visits to the country, was previously excluded from the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) in the European Parliament.
In his letter to fellow MEPs, Kartheiser reportedly stated, among other things, that countries such as Belgium and Luxembourg were calling for talks with Russia.
Bettel rejected that suggestion, saying any talks would first require a clear signal from Moscow.
"First we need to see goodwill, at least on the Russian side, and that there is a genuine desire for peace. At the moment we have absolutely zero signs that this is the case. So to make a pilgrimage to Moscow, firstly without a mandate, and without any demands even from the Ukrainian side, I personally find that extremely inappropriate."
When contacted, Luxembourg's five other MEPs said they had deliberately ignored Kartheiser’s letter.
