Messages indicating the former EU commissioner’s Russian connections have been made public

Didier Reynders, the former EU justice commissioner, allegedly collaborated with Hugues Brulin from the Belgian intelligence service to suppress investigations into his suspected corruption and Russian ties. Communication records reveal a relationship based on mutual favors between 2019 and 2023. The Belgian federal police discovered WhatsApp messages during a search of Reynders' home, linking him to money laundering allegations. Brulin reportedly informed Reynders about restructuring within the intelligence service, which insiders claim was related to covering up the investigations. Reynders denies any wrongdoing, while Brulin and the intelligence service declined to comment. The report also mentions Ernest de Laminne de Bex, a Belgian aristocrat linked to Reynders, who has faced allegations of acting as an agent for Russian and Chinese intelligence.