DISINFO: The leaders of European countries are subject to American dictates
SUMMARY
Russia always stands by cooperation and constructive dialogue in its relations with European countries, but the United States is preventing this from happening. We see that the leaders of European countries are subject to American policy and dictates, and they cannot confront them.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the US presence in Europe, portraying Europe as a vassal of the USA and trying to undermine the sovereignty of European countries. This narrative claims that almost all European countries are no longer truly sovereign and the United States dictates policies to the EU and its member states. For pro-Kremlin disinformation, countries that are outside of Russian control are US vassals, and some are vassals of vassals.
In fact, the EU Member States are sovereign countries and make sovereign decisions about their own security and policies. The US is an important ally to the EU but EU policy is not determined by the US.
On 25 June 2021, the EU leaders adopted a strong stance towards Russia reiterating the EU's openness to a selective engagement with Russia based on the five guiding principles. Earlier, on 16 June 2021, EU's HR/VP Josep Borrell presented Joint Communication on EU-Russia relations.
Similar disinformation narratives claim that European countries are under heavy US control, that NATO is a new type of US colonialism, that European élites obey Washington, that EU and NATO member states are subordinate to the US, while the US has long regarded the EU as a kind of protectorate, and that lined up with the US, the EU never took independent decisions.