DISINFO: Washington forced the EU to impose sanctions on Russia
SUMMARY
The problem is that Europe is subject to strong pressure from Washington, which forced it to impose sanctions on Russia. Additionally, Europe politicises the coronavirus and every issue related to Russia even its humanitarian actions.
There is more than one example that proves that Europe is very much subject to American decisions, not only with regard to sanctions but also the nuclear agreement of Iran and many other issues. The important thing here is that the voices calling for the lifting of sanctions increase and strengthen, but Washington will not allow it.
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.
The European Union is a sovereign entity, created by the voluntary initiative of European nations, and it has its own, independent foreign policy. Its citizens are directly represented in the European Parliament and Member States are represented in the European Council and the Council of the EU. The United States of America is not part of these institutions. The US had no role in the creation of the EU and has no say in its decisions.
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.
Similar disinformation narratives claim 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.
This disinformation message appeared in the same article as the claim that sanctions against Russia cost Europe more than it costs Russia.