DISINFO: Poland and the “Young Europeans” worsen the relations between the EU and Russia
SUMMARY
The relations between Moscow and Brussels is the hostage of the Russophobic approach of the “Young Europeans” and Poland, which consistently escalate tensions in relations with Russia. These sides take quite an irreconcilable position. These countries speak the most about their concerns about the ephemeral threat they see in the Russian Federation. At the same time, the same “Young Europeans” [new EU member states] consistently follow the path of escalating tensions in relations with Russia.
RESPONSE
This message is a part of the Kremlin’s widespread narrative about anti-Russian, Russophobic countries of Eastern and Central Europe, deliberately worsening their relations with Russia, preventing the improvement of the EU-Russian relations and supporting American interests in the region.
The claim that the new EU member states somehow escalate tensions with Russia and prevent the improvement of the EU-Russian relations is ungrounded.
During the recent months, the Russian officials and pro-Kremlin media increasingly use the euphemism “Young Europeans” (“младоевропейцы”) to describe the new EU member states (countries of Eastern and Central Europe). In the Russian language, this euphemism directly reminds of the “Young Turks” movement (“младотурки”).
The dramatic worsening of relations between the EU and Russia took place in 2014 after the illegal annexation of Crimea and direct Russian interference in the conflict in Donbas.
The recent deterioration of relations between Russia and the EU is directly linked to Moscow’s illegal actions abroad (violation of international law) and oppression against representatives of civil society inside Russia.
Since March 2014, the EU has progressively imposed restrictive measures against Russia in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and the deliberate destabilisation of Ukraine. New sanctions were introduced after the assassination attempt on Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny in 2020. The EU has also sanctioned Russian individuals responsible for serious human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests and detentions, as well as widespread and systematic repression of freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, and freedom of opinion and expression in Russia.
See similar cases such as Russia-EU relations were destroyed by unilateral decisions of Brussels, The EU destroyed relations with Russia and Poland and the EU appear on the verge of breaking relations with Russia.