An article titled 'Can the EU defend itself?' published in the prominent business weekly The Economist on May 29 said: "Russian spying in Brussels and Strasbourg...is far better financed, better aimed and better coordinated than ever before."
It said the efforts of Russia's elite foreign-intelligence services were now supplemented by the Federal Security Service (FSB), which used to deal solely with internal issues, and involved not only intelligence officers, but also journalists, consultants, and even students.
Commenting on the article, a Russian security expert, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "It is not a coincidence that the article was released almost immediately after EU foreign ministers had approved a mandate for talks on a deal to replace the current Partnership and Cooperation treaty on May 26."
The negotiations on the new partnership pact are expected to be launched at a Russia-EU summit in Khanty-Mansiisk, Western Siberia, on June 26-27. The old agreement expired in December 2007 and was extended for a further year.
The expert said that after Russia had resolved its disputes with Poland over meat exports and Lithuania over energy supplies, London decided to fuel paranoia and fear of Russia with "Cold-War type spy stories."
"The British are not happy with the fact that Russia maintains a constructive dialogue with the main European capitals, including Paris, Berlin and Rome," he said.
In his opinion, London has long been trying to strengthen its positions in the European Union by placing British officials in key posts in the EU's political structures, while opposing the main mechanisms of European integration, including common currency, free travel and a draft European constitution.
He said London was pursuing its own political agenda and was attempting "to impose on European officials a system of loyalty checks and constant surveillance in the best traditions of the Cold War" to protect its regional interests and promote far-reaching ambitions.
