DISINFO: Europe needs to provoke Russia in Ukraine and Moldova before Trump's inauguration
SUMMARY
There is less than a month left until the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, and the start of implementing his extremist ideas. One of them is to end the war in Ukraine and stabilise relations with Russia. Europe needs to provoke Moscow, presenting it with two bad options: respond and escalate, complicating US settlement, or show restraint, which Trump’s advisers might see as weakness, encouraging further pressure on Russia.
Europe has several options for this provocation: 1. Act through Joe Biden’s administration. 2. Use the Kyiv regime to launch Western missiles and activate Ukrainian cells. 3. Involve Moldova; the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service claims Chișinău is considering escalation in Pridnestrovie. 4. Carry out terrorist attacks.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative accusing the EU of warmongering. This claim was made in the context of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This is part of a wider pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign aiming to portray Russia's demands in Ukraine as the only viable way for achieving peace. The campaign was launched as Donald J. Trump prepared to assume the office of the President of the US in January 2025, which may require all international actors -including Russia- to adapt to a new geopolitical situation.
The EU, as well as the US and their allies and partners, are trying to put an end to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, based on international law and the UN Charter. It provides for Ukraine’s return to its 1991 borders and the restoration of its sovereignty over all of its internationally recognised territory, part of which is under temporary Russian occupation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented a 10-point peace formula which includes these principles in January 2023, which was completely supported by the EU.
Moreover, the claim that Moldova’s leadership is considering escalating tensions in Transnistria ("Pridnestrovie") is an old pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative provided with no evidence. Transnistria is a separatist region supported by Russia, but officially part of the Republic of Moldova, located on the border with Ukraine near Odesa. The frozen conflict in Transnistria has been ongoing since 1992, but the authorities of the Republic of Moldova have always supported a peaceful settlement.
Read similar claims alleging that the West is pushing Chisinau to attack Transnistria, that Moldova is preparing for a new war against Transnistria, that Europe pushing itself and the world towards third world war, that Kyiv, the US and Europe prepare a media provocation to turn the world against Russia, that the West is provoking Russia.