Russia has learned how to influence elections, EU’s top diplomat warns

BRUSSELS — The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, says Russia has learned how to influence elections through new technologies.

“I see the examples from Romania, but also other parts, that [the] Russians have really cracked the code on how to influence elections,” Kallas said at POLITICO’s P28 event Tuesday evening.

Responding to a question about the influence of new technologies on democracy, Kallas said she is “really worried.”

“Democracy is based on trust, and if you can’t trust elections anymore then how can you trust the outcome?” she asked.

Kallas argued that today’s methods for deciding whether elections can be considered free and fair are outdated and don’t take into account new technologies used to influence elections.

“I think we should take them very seriously,” she said.