DISINFO: The Baltic states and Poland force anti-Russian policies upon the EU and NATO
SUMMARY
The Russophobic minority, led by the Baltic states and Poland, rules not only in NATO but also in the EU, forcing the continuation of the strong anti-Russian policy.
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 about Poland and the Baltic states escalating tensions with Russia and preventing the improvement of EU-Russian relations is ungrounded.
The dramatic worsening of relations between the EU and Russia took place in 2014 after the illegal annexation of Crimea and Russian armed agression in East Ukraine.
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 also the European Council statement of 24 January 2022.
See similar cases such as Russia-EU relations were destroyed by unilateral decisions of Brussels, The EU destroyed relations with Russia, Poland and the EU appear on the verge of breaking relations with Russia and Poland and the “Young Europeans” worsen the relations between the EU and Russia.