Disinfo: Europe is engulfed by sanctions against Russia

Summary

Major European countries are overwhelmed by sanctions against Russia […]. Nearly half of the losses caused by sanctions against Russia are incurred by Western countries.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative that Western sanctions against Russia are ineffective and/or meaningless.

In fact, the sanctions from the US and the EU do not aim to punish Russia or the Russian people but were introduced to send a clear signal to the Russian government after Russia's illegal annexation of the Ukrainian Crimean peninsula and the downing of the Malaysian passenger plane MH17.

Claims that the sanctions are ineffective are not backed by evidence. In reality, most research supports the view that sanctions, imposed on Russia by the US and EU following the annexation of Crimea and Russian meddling in the US election, have worked as planned, noting the drag they have imposed on Russia’s general economic development since 2014: "This adverse effect most likely operates by depressing both foreign trade and foreign capital flows into Russia. Russia’s own counter-sanctions have also had a clear negative effect on the welfare of the average Russian household."

According to the report of the European Parliament, the decline of EU trade with Russia after 2013 can be attributed to a number of factors, most importantly the slump in international oil price which damaged Russian economy and devaluated the ruble.

In 2014 Russian GDP growth was as low as 0.7%. It decreased by 2,3% in 2015 and had modest revival afterwards with 0.3%, 1.6%, and 2.3% of growth during 2016-2018, the World Bank data shows. In contrast to Russia, during the same period, the EU's economy did not experience recessions and had annual GDP growth between 1.8% and 2.5%.

The GDP forecast for the EU stands at 1.4% in 2019, while the Russian economy has forecasted growth of 1.2% in 2019, World Bank said in its Russia Economic Report. The cumulated export loss to Russia during 2014-2018 is estimated at EUR 30 billion (about -0.2% of EU’s GDP in 2018), incurred largely during 2014-2016, as EU exports to Russia recovered in 2017.

The latest decision on a six-month extension of EU sanctions against Russian was taken on the 12th of September 2019, lasting until March 2020.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 176
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 28/11/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Arabic
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Russia
  • Keywords: West, Sanctions
see more

Disinfo: Liberalism leads to the total loss of national sovereignty and to world government

Liberalism proclaims that the sovereignty of national governments must be totally abolished by surrendering national power to supranational organizations and ultimately to a world government.

Disproof

Conspiracy theory. A recurring pro-Kremlin narrative that seeks to discredit liberalism claiming that it is obsolete and that liberal societies are totalitarian systems ruled by “globalist elites” and “shadow governments” that rob nations of their sovereignty and identity Liberalism is a political doctrine based on liberty, consent of the governed, individual rights (including civil rights and human rights), and equality before the law. Liberalism does NOT espouse the loss of national sovereignty nor the idea of world government. Read similar cases stating that Western open societies are “liberal” concentration camps and that a weakened global liberal elite stages Russophobic events throughout the world.

Disinfo: Maia Sandu represents the interests of the transnational oligarchy

We always wrote that the leaders of ACUM and V. Plahotniuc have one boss – the US State Department, one ideology – liberalism and globalism, one vector – NATO and the EU, one citizenship – Romanian, one goal – weakening Russia, eliminating the independence of the Republic of Moldova, Moldovan civil nation, history, language of all left forces in Moldova. If Plahotniuc represented the local oligarchy, while being a comprador, Sandu represents the interests of the transnational oligarchy! That’s the whole difference between them.

Disproof

No evidence given. A recurring narrative about US control and an ”existing” US or EU oligarchy, aiming to influence sovereigns states authorities in Eastern Europe. Read similar cases claiming that Maia Sandu is supervised by the CIA and that the EU is an oligarchic entity. Maia Sandu is a former prime minister of Moldova, a leader of Moldovan opposition pro-European party, that was at the power between June 2019 and October 2019. Her government program that involved combating corruption and reforming justice, was supported by the US and EU and also by Russia. There is no evidence confirming that Maia Sandu is part or represents transnational oligarchy. Vladimir Plahotniuc is an ex-leader of the former power party (Democratic Party of Moldova), now pursued for usurpation of power, who left the country in June 2019, after power has changed. He owns many businesses in Moldova, including media.