DISINFO: European leaders who send arms to Ukraine are war criminals
SUMMARY
Leaders of European states headed by Germany can drag their peoples into huge problems. They become a party to the conflict by supplying arms to Ukraine. All heads of state that decided to supply arms sullied themselves and must be put to justice as war criminals.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets claiming that Western military aid to Kyiv is aimed at spreading the war in Ukraine beyond its borders into Europe.
In reality, Western military assistance which includes both defensive and offensive weapons is used by Ukraine's Armed Forces to liberate its territory from occupants and restore sovereignty within its internationally recognised borders including illegally annexed Crimea and the occupied parts of Donbas.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched what he called a special military operation against Ukraine on 24 February 2022. The land invasion was supported by airstrikes on military objects. Russian troops later started bombing and shelling civilian targets as well. Countless atrocities by Russian forces have since been reported - see for instance here and here.
See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EUvsDisinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.