Danish candidate withdraws from EU elections over Russia links allegations

By Ebad Ahmed

PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AA) – A Liberal Party candidate has withdrawn her candidacy on Thursday after a plethora of tabloid news reports accused her of being linked to pro-Putin groups.

Alexandra Sasha, 28, was accused by Danish news media outlets - BT and Eksra Bladet- of being a board member of the youth organization of the European Russian Forum. The BT news report called the organization pro-Putin “form of influence”.

Sasha has a Russian background but was born and raised in Denmark. She announced her withdrawal from the election on Facebook: "For weeks I have been exposed to a smear campaign filled with false statements and unpleasant interpretations, which has been both physically and mentally hard, and I must now admit that I can't do it anymore".

In his reaction on her withdrawal, Venstre's chairman, Troels Lund Poulsen expressed support for her by stating that Sasha had "always expressed her full support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people's struggle for freedom".

The withdraw of candidacy comes in the backdrop of strong anti-Russia stance taken by the Danish government since the invasion of Ukraine. Copenhagen has extended its diplomatic and military support to Kyiv as the war continues to intensify.

Lately, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that her country permits Kyiv to attack Russia with Danish weapons, as long as the use is within international law.

In an interview with TV2, PM Frederiksen said: “You are welcome to use what we have donated to Ukraine, also outside of Ukraine - that is, on Russian targets - if it is within international law.

“NATO’s Secretary General was very clear on this issue a few hours ago, that it is within the rules when you wage war because it is Ukraine that is being attacked by Russia” she added.