Disinfo: The European Union intends to destroy Russia

Summary

Josep Borrell, in addition to heading European diplomacy, is also a blogger. The other day blogger Borrell published on the official portal of the European Commission a post titled "How can we tame the power politics of the East?" The East means Russia, which the author of the publication intends to "tame".

Josep Borrell changed his diplomat's suit to that of a circus trainer, simultaneously changing the tone of the conversation and the vocabulary of the discussion. According to his post, the EU basically calls Russia an enemy and intends to prepare for further confrontation with Russia.

Disproof

Pro-Kremlin disinformation about the EU, ist external and foreign policies.

This disinformation message is a complete misinterpretation of EU High Represenative / Vice President Josep Borrell's words. Borrell did not use the word "tame". The post referred to is titled "Countering power politics in the East".

Russia was not called an enemy, moreover, the phrases allegedly taken from Borrell's article are a distorted interpretation of the author. There are also no calls for further confrontation with or intention to destroy Russia.

Analysing the current state of relations with Russia, (in the context of the situation in Ukraine) Borrell states that "it is a moment to be firm and united and to deter possible further Russian moves. The European Council agreed on sending a strong message to the Russian leadership that any action against Ukraine and those principles, by military or hybrid means, would have serious consequences."

This article and such claims are parts of the pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign about the EU, attempting to put the responsibility for the state of EU-Russia relations on Brussels, blaming the European Union for the deterioration of bilateral relations with Russia. In reality, the EU and its member states strive for dialogue with Russia to settle the existing problems and misperceptions.

Nevertheless, Russia remains a natural partner for the EU and a strategic player combating regional and global challenges. The EU’s approach to Russia is guided by five principles agreed in 2016 and reaffirmed, most recently, in June 2021. Read more about the recently proposed way forward in EU-Russia relations here.

See also similar cases with statements that the EU destroyed relations with Russia, that the EU is doing everything to make Russia move away from it, that Russia-EU relations were destroyed by unilateral decisions of Brussels.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 270
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 24/12/2021
  • Article language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Russia, EU, Europe
  • Keywords: Josep Borrell, Anti-Russian, Diplomacy with Russia, Destabilising Russia
see more

Disinfo: Eastern Partnership was developed as a leash on member countries

The Eastern Partnership programme itself was not developed in order to integrate the participating countries into the European Union in the future, but specifically for geopolitical purposes. The European leaders do not even hide the fact that the initiative is not about entry into the European Union, but mostly about obeying all the instructions of Brussels following the path of reformation.

In other words, the Eastern Partnership programme is a kind of leash on which the European Union “walks” the member countries.

Disproof

This is a disinformation narrative often used in relation to the Eastern Partnership (EaP) initiative, claiming that this is an anti-Russian instrument and a mechanism to control its members.

In fact, the EaP was established as a specific Eastern dimension of the European Neighborhood Policy, which contains both a bilateral and multilateral track. This is a joint policy initiative, based on voluntary participation, which aims to strengthen relations between the European Union, its member states and its six Eastern neighbours: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. According to the official website, it was released on 7 May 2009 by the Joint Declaration of the Prague Eastern Partnership Summit.

Disinfo: It was Lenin who created Ukraine

Who created Ukraine? It was Vladimir Ilyich Lenin who created it when he created the Soviet Union and after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was born as a country.

Disproof

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative designed to denigrate the history of Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood and its independence.

The history of Ukraine dates back to the era of the Kyivan Rus’ in the 9th-13th centuries. A fully independent Ukraine only emerged in the 20th century, after long periods of successive domination by Poland-Lithuania, Russia, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

Disinfo: NATO expands Eastwards to threaten and provoke Russia

NATO expands eastwards to threaten and provoke Russia. The Russian demand that NATO should not move further into Ukraine and Georgia is absolutely understandable. But the US will not want to concede this security guarantee voluntarily because of its ongoing hegemonic mania.

NATO's claims on Ukraine deeply worry Moscow. Russia cannot watch indifferently as the Alliance's military infrastructure begins to move toward Russian borders. Russia was only asking the West not to station NATO military infrastructure in Eastern Europe. Rejection of Moscow's demands testifies to disinterest in compromise and strategic dialogue with Russia.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that NATO's 'expansion' is a security threat for Russia.

NATO does not seek confrontation with Russia and poses no threat to Russia. NATO is a defensive alliance, whose primary aims are to maintain peace and safeguard the independence, security and territorial integrity of its members. During the Warsaw summit in July 2016, NATO has made it clear that "The Alliance does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia". This was also reaffirmed in the Brussels Summit Communiqué of 14 June 2021.