EU Suspends Interpreter Suspected of Spying During Zelensky Meeting

The European Commission (EC) has revoked the accreditation of a Ukrainian-language interpreter after she was caught secretly recording a closed-door meeting involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, raising concerns over a potential security breach.

The meeting took place on Dec. 19, 2024, just weeks after US President Donald Trump was re-elected. During the summit, EU leaders reaffirmed their commitment to support Ukraine, pledging continued military and financial assistance, including funding to protect Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

According to French newspaper Le Monde, Czech interpreters attending the summit noticed their colleague writing down details of the conversation – something strictly prohibited at such high-level private meetings.

The interpreter, who had been translating from French into Ukrainian, was reported to security officials, removed from the room, and had her notes confiscated.

The EC launched an internal investigation and has since handed the findings over to Belgian authorities, who will decide whether a criminal investigation – possibly for espionage – is warranted. The Commission confirmed it is no longer working with the interpreter in question.

Le Monde identified the woman only as “Ms. I.,” reporting that she comes from a Russian family and has a sister who also works as a translator. The two have worked for over 20 years as freelancers for NATO, the EC, and France’s foreign and defense ministries.

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Ukrainian embassies in France and Brussels reportedly stopped using her services years ago over concerns about her professional ties to Russian officials. A Ukrainian diplomat told the newspaper that Ms. I. had maintained contacts with Russian government representatives.

Despite the incident, she remained on interpreter lists for NATO and various French institutions, including the foreign ministry, which reportedly hired her twice in 2024 for conferences unrelated to Ukraine.

Ms. I. told Le Monde she was “very surprised” by the allegations and insisted the situation was a misunderstanding. She said her continued work with NATO and French ministries proves there was no wrongdoing.

French officials told the newspaper they are reviewing the matter and would “draw all necessary conclusions.”