VIVIENNE Kynaston’s letter in last week’s Wiltshire Times flagged up issues with anti-EU parties in Continental Europe. However, there is another very significant point.

It has been well documented that many anti-EU parties are being supported by Vladimir Putin.

This support comes from Putin’s desire to destabilise European governments and bring to power European governments that are friendly to Russia.

These right wing anti-EU parties were very vocal in supporting Russia’s annexation of Crimea, Jobbik, (Hungary) National Front (France), and the Ataka (Bulgaria) parties all sent election observers to “validate” the Crimea referendum.

France’s ProRussia TV is funded by the Kremlin, staffed by editors linked to Le Pen’s National Front and disseminates NF’s views.

WikiLeaks revealed Bulgaria’s far right Ataka party has close links to the Russian embassy.

Party leader Volen Siderov has called repeatedly for Bulgaria to veto EU economic sanctions for Russia.

The Greek Far Right party, Golden Dawn, has never concealed its close connections to Russia’s extreme right.

Its leader “has spoken out clearly in favour of an alliance and cooperation with Russia, and away from the ‘naval forces’ of the ‘Atlantic’”.

And what of UKIP? Nigel Farage has gone on record as saying Vladimir Putin is the world leader he most admires.

In the Telegraph he said that “The West must stop opposing Vladimir Putin’s incursion into Ukraine".

The main beneficiary of Britain leaving the EU would be Vladimir Putin. It would encourage him to step up his campaign to de-stabilise Europe and encourage the rise of right wing nationalistic parties.

We all know where that leads.

A P Milroy

Bellefield Crescent

Trowbridge