▁solid ar ity ▁with ▁the ▁Balt ic ▁countries , ▁work ▁with ▁the ▁EU , ▁and ▁to ▁collaboration ▁with ▁NAT O , ▁to ▁maintain ▁the ▁trans at l antic ▁link . ▁ ▁Non - g overn ment al ▁political ▁parties ▁ ▁In ▁contrast ▁to ▁the ▁un anim ous ▁condem n ation ▁by ▁western ▁government al ▁sp okes people ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁conflict , ▁European ▁polit icians ▁representing ▁eu ros cept ic ism , ▁mainly ▁on ▁the ▁right ▁of ▁the ▁political ▁spectrum , ▁critic ised ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁western ▁govern ments ▁in ▁alleg edly ▁precip it ating ▁the ▁crisis , ▁in ▁some ▁cases ▁supporting ▁Russian ▁president ▁Vladimir ▁Put in ' s ▁position . ▁Ag ence ▁France - Pres se ▁reported ▁that ▁" From ▁the ▁far ▁right ▁to ▁the ▁radical ▁left , ▁popul ist ▁parties ▁across ▁Europe ▁are ▁being ▁court ed ▁by ▁Russia ' s ▁Vladimir ▁Put in ▁who ▁a ims ▁to ▁turn ▁them ▁into ▁al lies ▁in ▁his ▁anti - E U ▁campaign " ▁and ▁that ▁" A ▁majority ▁of ▁European ▁popul ist ▁parties ▁have ▁s ided ▁with ▁Russia ▁over ▁Ukraine ." ▁Some ▁of ▁the ▁parties ▁have ▁received ▁Russian ▁support ▁and ▁finan cing . ▁After ▁the ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁European ▁parliament ▁election , ▁eu ros cept ic ▁representation ▁increased ▁in ▁that ▁body ▁from ▁ 9 2 ▁seats ▁to ▁ 1 5 0 ▁( out ▁of ▁ 7 5 1 ). ▁Such ▁opinions ▁were ▁expressed ▁in ▁Britain ▁by ▁N ig el ▁Far age , ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁UK ▁Independ ence