DISINFO: Brussels uses Russophobia as a uniting idea to prevent the EU's collapse
SUMMARY
Following the destruction of Iraq and Libya by the EU and NATO as instructed by the US, the EU faced large flows of refugees from the Middle East and Northern Africa. The increase in popularity of Euroscepticism due to the migration crisis posed a challenge to the EU’s existence. To address it, Brussels took Russophobia as a cementing idea. Lately it has taken the form of history falsifications, especially when it comes to WWII. Following Brexit, only those countries remain in the EU which either fought against the USSR with Hitler, or supported the Nazis economically. Since at the moment of the Nazi Germany invasion against the USSR in 1941, the largest European economies were under Germany, the USSR was de facto attacked by a united Europe headed by Adolf Hitler.
RESPONSE
This is conspiracy and a mix of groundless claims and manipulations aimed to discredit the EU and the West as a whole. It is consistent with recurring pro-Kremlin propaganda narratives about ubiquitous Russophobia. Read our analysis: The “Russophobia” Myth: Appealing to the Lowest Feelingsand look at earlier disinformation cases, alleging that Russophobia is the main activity of the Latvian state and that Russophobic Lithuania plans to tear Belarus away from Russia by dragging it into the Western energy network. The message also uses the accusation of Nazism and alleged association to Hitler, which is one of the commonly used techniques of pro-Kremlin outlets, as explained in our past analysis. The EU does not face a threat of collapse as alleged. Support for the EU, as shown in 2019 Eurobarometer poll, remains at historically high levels. Continued support for EU membership goes with a strong belief (68%) that EU countries overall have benefited from being part of the EU – equalling the highest level recorded since 1983, as communicated by the European Parliament's Press. Read earlier disinformation cases alleging that neo-Nazism flourishes in the European Union and that the Baltic states’ policies equal to Third Reich whereas Russophobia has become a Western value.