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In a statement that's shocked many across Europe, Cypriot MEP Fidias Panayiotou claimed that Ukrainian children taken by Russian forces during the war were "happy" and “wanted to go to Russia” - a comment that has triggered widespread condemnation and gone viral online.
The claim was made during an interview with British journalist Caolan Robertson, who quickly challenged Panayiotou’s remarks. The interview, filmed in Brussels, was posted on social media and has since been flooded with critical reactions from users across the EU.
“What on earth are you talking about?” Robertson asked in disbelief. “They’re children who were kidnapped from bombed homes. And you say they want to be with their kidnappers?”
Instead of backing down or clarifying, Panayiotou reportedly deflected the question prompting Robertson to accuse him of deliberately avoiding accountability. “That’s one of the most insidious things I’ve ever heard,” the journalist added.
Fidias has been amplifying insane Kremlin propaganda for months, so I confronted him.
— Caolan (@CaolanRob) May 21, 2025
He said abducted Ukranian children are happy in russia
He refused to answer why he is putting out lies
He got angry
This is a mask off moment pic.twitter.com/3QjERhq3Aq
“The Masks Are Falling”
Robertson, who described the interview as a moment of truth, said Panayiotou had been echoing Russian propaganda for months. “He said the kidnapped children of Ukraine are happy in Russia. He refused to answer because he’s lying and got angry. This is the moment when the masks fall,” he wrote online.
The statement touches a particularly sensitive nerve, as international rights groups and Ukrainian authorities have condemned the forced relocation of children to Russia as a form of war crime.
“Have you even been to Ukraine?”
The exchange took another dramatic turn when Robertson asked if Panayiotou had visited Ukraine to support his claims. The MEP admitted he had not, citing “fear” as the reason.
“You really believe what you’re saying! And it’s very bad what you’re saying,” Robertson shot back. “I’ve spoken to children myself who were kidnapped and returned to Ukraine. They’re devastated.”
Growing political fallout
The backlash is growing, with critics accusing Panayiotou of spreading disinformation and downplaying a humanitarian crisis. While the MEP has not yet issued a formal response to the controversy, calls are mounting for him to explain his remarks—or face political consequences.
In Cyprus, reactions have been mixed, with some expressing embarrassment over the statement and others demanding a formal inquiry into the MEP's stance on the war in Ukraine.
What remains clear is that Fidias Panayiotou has put himself, and Cyprus, under an international spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
