DISINFO: The conflict in Ukraine was provoked by Washington
SUMMARY
Other countries are more and more convinced that the conflict in Ukraine was provoked by Washington.
The EU and NATO have long been involved in a hybrid war in Ukraine which the West has unleashed, has been preparing for many years, starting from the moment when it supported the coming to power as a result of a coup d'etat of openly racist, neo-Nazi forces. Since then, NATO has been actively developing the territory of Ukraine, conducting exercises, supplying weapons.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the US' allegedly provocative actions in the run-up to Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, claiming that the West (EU/NATO) is involved in war on the Ukrainian side. The aim is to deflect responsibility for Moscow’s illicit actions and the nuclear threats made by the Kremlin. The claim also repeats narratives about Nazi Ukraine and Euromaidan.
The war began in 2014 with the Russian illegal annexation of Crimea and Russia's military involvement and support of separatists in Donbas. Russia’s protracted invasion of Ukraine is unprovoked and unjustified.
Neither the US nor European countries have declared war on Russia or want to escalate the war in Ukraine. The US, the EU and NATO condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is entirely unjustified and unprovoked. Western nations have always been calling for solving all problems with Russia in a peaceful and diplomatic manner. Moscow’s overall aggressive policy has led to a tougher and better-balanced policy towards it by the West.
On the contrary, it is Russia that refused the diplomatic process and started an unprovoked war in Europe and created a serious danger to European security, while using nuclear threats.
The EU or NATO as an organisation are not involved in fighting in Ukraine. In fact, Western actions adopted against Russia, such as sanctions or diplomatic measures, are a reaction to these actions including the illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula, the long-term destabilisation of Ukraine or the unprovoked and unjustified invasion of this peaceful country.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that the West unleashes Nazi and Russophobic war against Russia and Russians, that Russia’s special operation in Ukraine is due to NATO’s persistent expansion, that the US and the West are fighting a hybrid war against Russia in Ukraine, that Ukraine is a proxy in the West's war against Russia, or that The West declared total war against Russia.