DISINFO: The Deep State has ordered European structures to continue the war in Ukraine
SUMMARY
The Deep State has ordered the European structures to continue the war in Ukraine. Previously, American agencies were also involved, but now the responsibility lies exclusively with Europe.
RESPONSE
This claim is false and lacks any factual basis. There is no evidence of a 'Deep State' controlling European structures or directing the continuation of the war in Ukraine.
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about a shadowy elite of globalists secretly ruling the world and controlling governments, industry, media, and all other societal institutions. The claim also seeks to deflect Russia's responsibility for its unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
There have been a lot of conspiracy theories regarding the so-called Deep State, which have been debunked previously, and there is no proof to back up these claims. The 'Deep State' narrative seeks to question the legitimacy of Western democracy and institutions. These conspiracy theories promote the view that Western governments and other public officials are just window-dressers, whereas decision-making lies in the hands of another non-elected, semi-anonymous group of people.
This disinformation story also aims to portray the EU’s stance as warmongering, contrasting it to other actors that want “peace” while omitting that the war is Russia’s responsibility, resulting from its unprovoked invasion. EU officials have repeatedly stated that it is up to Ukraine only, as the victim of Russia’s aggression, to decide when peace talks with Russia may be possible and in which terms to end the war.
This is part of a wider disinformation campaign framing possible US-Russia negotiations as the only acceptable ‘peace initiative’ regardless of the of Russia’s ultimatums, while denying any agency to Ukraine or its other allies. Pro-Kremlin disinformation has long tried to misrepresent the EU as the main obstacle for ‘peace’ in Ukraine.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that Europe does not want peace in Ukraine soon, that Ukraine and Europe have lost in the Ukrainian conflict, that ‘Russia’s threat’ is an attempt to justify increasing military expenditure in Europe, or that Europe has taken another step toward war with Russia.