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Disinfo: Coronavirus proved that NATO is pointless

Summary

Coronavirus proved the whole pointlessness of NATO’s existence. It turns out that the only thing the alliance can ‘successfully’ fight is the mythical Russian threat, but when it comes to real threats, NATO is destabilised.

Disproof

A recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about the inability of NATO and the EU to assist their member states in fighting the coronavirus and about the alleged disintegration of the EU, NATO and other Western bodies.

NATO has been doing a great deal to assist all member states in the fight against COVID-19. This includes facilitating the airlift of crucial medical supplies and equipment,  matching requests for support with offers from allies and partners, setting up field hospitals. Many Allies, including the Czech Republic, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain have benefited from this support.

More about NATO response to the pandemic can be found here.

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publication/media

Sputnik Georgia - Russian [from 01:30 to 01:47] (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 200
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 12/05/2020
  • Language/target audience: Russian
  • Country: EU
  • Keywords: coronavirus, NATO

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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The European “utopia” is collapsing, the elites use Russophobia to patch the union together

The European “utopia” is also collapsing at the level of ideology. The supranational structures are paralysed, and in times of crisis, the national state has affirmed that it is the only institution able to take measures needed to survive. In other words, the viability of individual nation states was confirmed as independent systems, and the Union’s failure to do so as a common collective system was confirmed.

Against this background, Europeans need more than ever something to unite them, to say the least. Fortunately for the European elites, there is an adequate and common sworn enemy that the West has created: Russia.; it will use the struggle with this “enemy” now to strengthen ties between the fractured European Union’ institutions.

May 18, 2020
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the lack of inter-EU solidarity. Moreover, the argument that the EU is conveniently creating an enemy in Russia is part of a recurring pro-Kremlin narrative attempting to delegitimise any criticism of Russian actions by presenting it as a manifestation of the West's "Russophobic" provocations.

EU Member States have been actively helping each other in this crisis, which most EU member states have been grappling with themselves. For example, German hospitals offered to treat critical coronavirus patients from France as well as taking in patients from Italy and the Czech Republic sending masks to Italy.

The bureaucracy leads to the collapse of the EU

The coronavirus pandemic has pretty much hit European solidarity. And this is not only because of quarantine, which has closed transparent borders.

Confronting the faceless (and even completely American) bureaucracy of the EU with the whole diversity of European countries and peoples is a very old topic. While the EU grew and developed, complications could be tolerated. But a weakening reveals many disorders. People who are worth listening to are already talking about the collapse of the EU.

May 18, 2020
Disproof

A recurring pro-Kremlin narrative that is consistent with the disinformation message that the Schengen zone has collapsed and more broadly, with the disinformation narrative that the EU is collapsing as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

In the current exceptional situation, many EU Member States introduced temporary border controls to slow the spread of coronavirus, which adhere to the Schengen border code, but the EU Commission is ensuring that EU-wide supply chains continue to operate and that the flow of goods and key services continues around the clock. The introduction of ‘green lanes’ will allow all freight vehicles to cross internal Schengen borders within 15 minutes.

Ukrainians will disappear due to global warming

Ukrainian media predicted the disappearance of Ukrainians due to global warming. Ukrainians will not survive global warming and will disappear by 2050, they claimed.

May 18, 2020
Disproof

Misinterpretation of the quotes in the interview.

Ukrainian climate expert Svitlana Krakovskaya, who is member of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate, said in an interview that she and her colleagues have analysed several scenarios for Ukraine on climate change by the middle of the century. The worst scenario could happen if no action is taken to help the environment. In this scenario, Svitlana Krakovskaya said that Ukraine and planet Earth will survive, but it will be difficult." She also stated other people from affected regions may move to Ukraine. She added "it will depend on our actions now."