Disinfo: George Soros: Europe will win even if no ashes remain from Ukraine - Nobody cares about the Ukrainians

Summary

Quote by George Soros: “Europe will win even if no ashes remain from Ukraine. Nobody cares about the Ukrainians’ existence. They should take care of their own welfare.

Disproof

Not an actual quote, but a recurrent pro-Kremlin conspiracy theory on George Soros. See the EUvsDisinfo article "The All-Powerful Mr. Soros" for more details. The quote that was attributed to George Soros was actually made by Alexander Zapolskis, a political commentator for a pro-Kremlin media outlet. In the article published by regnum.ru, Zapolskis cited German magazine Cicero’s interview with Soros, which does not contain any such comment, as the source of the quotation. In the article, Alexander Zapolskis voices his own assessments and expectations about the role of the West in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. In his opinion, in order for Europe to maintain the global economic leadership, Ukraine should fight for a long time; the author supposes that nobody cares about the Ukrainians’ fate. Europe will only win if Ukraine is razed to the ground, Russia will have to restore Ukraine, because it is part of Russia rather than Europe. The article by Zapolskis represents his own interpretation of the interview with Soros as well as assessments based on this interpretation that was later attributed by pro-Kremlin media outlets to George Soros and spread virally. As a result, Zapolskis’ interpretation using the name of George Soros was spread by Russian sources and then picked up by Ukrainian and further Georgian media outlets.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 169
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 03/10/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Georgian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Ukraine
  • Keywords: George Soros
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Disproof

A recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about the threat of the West for Belarusian independence and national development. Belarus cooperates with the Western countries, including Europe and the United States and Canada on multiple levels. The relations with the Western democracies named among the biggest priorities by the Belarusian Foreign Ministry. The assistance given by the EU to Belarus is aimed to improve the living standard of Belarusian citizens in a tangible and visible manner. Find out more about the EU's assistance to Belarus here.

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Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the war in Ukraine, and Euromaidan protests. It was not Ukraine, but Russia which illegally annexed Crimea and continues violating Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity. This led to sanctions and a deterioration in relations between Russia and other countries. The onset of the Euromaidan protests which began in Kyiv in November 2013 – called "Maidan", or "Euromaidan" – were a result of the Ukrainian people's frustration with former President Yanukovych's last minute U-turn when, after seven years of negotiation, he refused to sign the EU–Ukraine Association Agreement and halted progress towards Ukraine's closer relationship with the EU as a result of Russian pressure. The protesters' demands included constitutional reform, a stronger role for parliament, formation of a government of national unity, an end to corruption, early presidential elections and an end to violence. See some more recent debunks of this claim here and here. See a similar case denying Russia’s involvement in the conflict in Eastern Ukraine here. The EU and the US have condemned the clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity by acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since February 2014.

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Disproof

A recurring pro-Kremlin narrative trying to deny any role for Russia in the Russo-Georgian 2008 war, and presenting it instead as a conflict between South Ossetia and Georgia. South Ossetia and Abkhazia did not claim independence from Georgia, but were occupied by Russia.

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