A former Dutch parliamentarian, Dekker, participated in a conference organized by sanctioned Russian officials in Moscow, raising concerns about his alignment with Kremlin narratives. The meeting, held in February by the Russian Academy of Sciences, focused on restoring ties between Russia and the EU and was led by key figures from Putin’s United Russia party who are under European and American sanctions.
Dekker’s involvement, a former executive at Rabobank and substitute member of the Dutch Parliament, wasn’t highlighted in pro-Kremlin media reports, his views have increasingly echoed the Kremlin’s stance over the years. Prior to this conference, Dekker had already gained attention in Russian media for advocating the normalization of relations with Russia, criticizing corruption in Ukraine, and claiming NATO had effectively lost the war.
His connections with representatives of Putin’s regime extend back to 2024, when Dekker, alongside FvD party leader Thierry Baudet, attended the Russian embassy in The Hague and posed for a photo with the new ambassador Vladimir Tarabrin. During his time as a substitute member of parliament, Dekker’s rhetoric mirrored the Kremlin’s so closely that colleagues questioned whether he was being financially supported by Russia, an accusation he denied.
Dekker has become a close confidant of Baudet, holding key positions within the FvD party and its commercial ventures. He serves on the boards of Baudet’s publishing house, food company, and the foundation aiming to establish a Forum primary school, and chairs the scientific institute. Dekker’s association with Baudet also involves John Laughland, a British FvD employee with ties to a pro-Russian think tank, who is seen as a mentor to Baudet.
Despite starting low in the FvD’s ranks in 2018, Dekker remained loyal during periods of internal conflict, eventually leading the list for the 2024 European elections, which resulted in no seats for the party. While Dekker did not respond to calls, he downplayed his participation in the meeting with sanctioned Russian parliamentarians as “a harmless discussion” on X.