Voters in 20 EU countries are casting ballots in European Parliament elections

She expressed her opinion on Espreso TV on June 9.

"The biggest question in the European Parliament elections is how many votes the far right will get. This is very important for Ukraine because these groups are becoming stronger and more influential in the EU," Vysotska said.

She noted that if the far right gains enough votes, it could negatively impact aid to Ukraine.

"There are predictions that if the far-right forces unite, they will become the second-largest political group in the European Parliament. This would allow them to influence appointments and voting. For Ukraine, this is a bit dangerous, as the far right tends to be pro-Russian or support Russian narratives," she added.

Elections to the European Parliament

On June 9, polling stations opened in 20 European countries for the European Parliament elections, expected to shape the future of the world's largest trading bloc. The Associated Press reports.

Voters will elect 720 members of the European Parliament. The war in Ukraine, migration, and the impact of climate policy on farmers are some of the issues that concern people when they cast their ballots.

Polls suggest mainstream pro-European parties will keep their majority, but far-right parties, led by politicians like Geert Wilders of the Netherlands and Marine Le Pen of France, will gain more seats. This could make it harder for the EU to pass laws and decisions.

The European Parliament elections are important because EU lawmakers influence issues from finance to climate and agricultural policy. They approve the EU budget, which funds infrastructure projects, agricultural subsidies, and aid to Ukraine, and they can veto appointments to the European Commission.

Unofficial results should be available after 16:15 GMT on June 9. The official results will be published after the last polling stations in the 27 EU countries close in Italy at 21:00 GMT, but a clear picture of the new European Parliament structure will emerge only on Monday, June 10.

• On June 8, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, recovering in the hospital following an attack last month, participated in the European Parliament elections by voting from his hospital bed.