DISINFO: Europe is trying to undermine the conflict settlement in Ukraine
SUMMARY
Europe is trying to undermine the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine by immediately announcing new military aid packages and inciting continued military actions. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen even stated 'peace is worse than war for Kyiv.'
We are waiting for our European colleagues to stop lying about Russia blocking the negotiations. President Putin has repeatedly responded to these false statements, reminding that it is primarily the Ukrainian leadership, incited by Europe, that refuses to negotiate.
RESPONSE
The recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative tries to push the false claim that the EU is not interested in peace.
This is a distortion and deliberate manipulation of the original statements of Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Kyiv, aiming to promote several recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the conflict in Ukraine as a proxy war and the EU as a warmongering power.
The original quote: "A cease-fire without sustainable peace will cause us a lot of danger. It will give Russia room to rebuild, rearm and relaunch an attack on Ukraine or another European country... This war is about Russia and imperial dreams; therefore, I find it very difficult to trust Putin and Russia."
Pro-Kremlin disinformation has systematically instrumentalised the narrative that Russia wants peace in Ukraine in contrast to the West, 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.
The assertion that Western countries harbour a desire for the continuation of the conflict in Ukraine lacks any substantial foundation and is devoid of factual support. It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII. In response to Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine which was launched on 24 February 2022, a broad coalition of more than 50 nations is providing Ukraine with military and technical assistance to repel Russia's aggression. Kyiv is acting in self-defence, under UN Charter article 51. Our analysis of the communication strategy of pro-Kremlin outlets explains how they attempt to portray Russia as a victim and to deceive audiences into believing that Russia is fighting Western powers.
See also the Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War and The Chilling Background to the Kremlin's "No War" trope.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives: the EU does not want peace, only total defeat of Russia; Trump's peace promise in Ukraine clashes with Europe's warmongering politicians; the West’s "war party” wants to escalate the conflict in Ukraine; the West will do everything possible to prevent Russia from leaving the war; the West is not interested in resolving the Ukrainian conflict; Europe does not want peace in Ukraine soon.