Matviyenko says a stable and calm Europe is better for Russia
In short
Valentina Matviyenko, speaker of Russia’s Federation Council, said the European Union is sliding towards becoming a military bloc and that Europeans are protesting out of desperation. She said Russia would be better off with a stable, calm Europe conducting mutually beneficial trade and supporting indivisible Eurasian security. Russian state outlets carried the remarks in brief headlines, while business outlet Kommersant added detail on EU defence plans and recent protests in Spain and France.
Read the full story 1 min read
Valentina Matviyenko, speaker of Russia’s Federation Council, said that a stable and calm Europe is better for Russia, according to TASS, RIA Novosti, Kommersant and RBC. State outlets TASS and RIA Novosti reported the statement in brief headlines. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Kommersant quoted Matviyenko as saying that “the European Union today is practically sliding towards a military bloc”, although it was created for different tasks and goals as a single economic community serving economic development and higher living standards. She said Europeans take to the streets “out of desperation”, protesting against a euro-bureaucracy that has “practically deprived European states of sovereignty”. She added: “We do not gloat. I believe a stable, calm Europe is better for us, one that conducts mutually beneficial cooperation and mutually beneficial trade, and that would stand for a single, indivisible Eurasian security.” [ 3 ]
Kommersant also reported that Matviyenko cited German Chancellor Merz as publicly saying he does not care what the German people think and that support for what she called the corrupt Kyiv regime should continue. The other documents do not carry that quote. [ 3 ]
Kommersant reported that mass protests began in Spain and France in late September: upper-school pupils in French schools and lycées demanded reform of the education system, and at least 70,000 people demonstrated in Spain after parliament rejected the government’s proposals for tackling the housing crisis. Kommersant also reported that the EU’s defence transformation rests on joint financing, procurement and expanded arms production rather than a single army, citing the ReArm Europe programme of March 2025, which envisaged an increase in EU countries’ spending of 1.5% to raise €650 billion plus €150 billion in lending, and targets for joint procurement of at least 40% of weapons by 2027 and 55% by 2028. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The remarks are a public statement of Moscow’s stated preference for a stable Europe that trades with Russia and backs what she called indivisible Eurasian security. They come as Russian state outlets and Kommersant describe the EU’s move towards joint defence financing and procurement. The documents describe no policy decision or negotiation attached to the statement.
Key facts
- Federation Council speaker Valentina Matviyenko said a stable, calm Europe is better for Russia. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- She said the European Union is gradually turning into a military bloc. [ 3 , 4 ]
- She said the EU was created as a single economic community with different goals. [ 3 , 4 ]
- She said Europeans protest out of desperation against a euro-bureaucracy that has stripped European states of sovereignty. [ 3 ]
- Kommersant reported she cited German Chancellor Merz as saying he does not care what the German people think. [ 3 ]
- Kommersant reported that mass protests began in Spain and France in late September, including at least 70,000 people demonstrating in Spain over the housing crisis. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Where and when Matviyenko made the remarks. The documents give only the publication times of the reports, not the venue or occasion of the statement.
- The accuracy of her account of Chancellor Merz’s statement. The quote is reported only in Kommersant’s article, which cites TASS, and is not carried in the other documents.
- The scale and cause of the protests in Spain and France. Only Kommersant mentions them, with figures and context not confirmed by the other outlets.
- Matviyenko holds the post of speaker of the Federation Council. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS publishes Matviyenko’s remark that a stable and calm Europe benefits Russia. [ 1 ]
- RIA Novosti reports the same statement. [ 2 ]
- Kommersant publishes a fuller report with her quotes on the EU as a military bloc and on European protests. [ 3 ]
- RBC reports her statement that the EU is sliding towards a military bloc. [ 4 ]