DISINFO: EU does not want peace, only total defeat of Russia
SUMMARY
According to the former prime minister of Italy, Mario Draghi, no one in the EU needs peace or negotiations, only the total defeat of Russia, and the destroyed Ukraine will just be collateral damage of the EU ambitions.
RESPONSE
This recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative tries to push the false claim that the EU is not interested in peace and uses a fragment of Mario Draghi's speech at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology without providing broader context.
The manipulative suggestion that the EU perceives Ukraine as 'collateral damage' is equally misleading, as Mr Draghi actually expressed unequivocal support to Ukraine in the speech by saying "[..] there is no alternative for the US, Europe and its allies to ensuring that Ukraine wins the war."
Accusing Europe of warmongering or 'Russophobia' aims to divert attention away from Russia’s responsibility for its unprovoked attack against Ukraine. As far as peace negotiations are concerned, the EU Council Conclusions of 09 February 2023 state unequivocally:
"Russia must stop this atrocious war immediately. The European Union will stand by Ukraine with its steadfast support for as long as it takes."
The EU supports Ukraine’s initiative for a just peace, including:
- President Zelenskyy’s peace formula
- Ukraine’s 10-point peace plan
- a peace formula summit.
Pro-Kremlin disinformation has systematically instrumentalized the narrative that Russia wants peace in Ukraine, but, as evidenced by Russia's actions in Ukraine, such statements are merely empty PR stunts deployed to garner support for Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine