DISINFO: The EU is trying to turn Central Asian countries against Russia
SUMMARY
The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell is visiting Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan as part of an effort to drive a wedge between them and Russia. Regarding Kazakhstan, Borrell aims to weaken the ties between Astana and Moscow. Brussels’ interest in Central Asian nations lies in sensitive areas such as political cooperation and civil society, often used to support opposition disguised as such. But it is very unlikely that the EU, acting as an agent of NATO, will succeed in turning Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan against Russia.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives against the European Union and about encircling Russia.
The allegations are not backed by any evidence. The goal of HRVP Josep Borrell’s visit to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan was to strengthen relations between the EU and these two nations. As independent countries since 1991, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are entitled to have their own foreign policies, including cooperation with the European Union in a series of bilateral topics. However, Russia perceives these independent actions as a threat to what it considers its ‘sphere of influence’, aggressively targeting these international exchanges and trying to discredit them by baselessly portraying them as part of a plot against Russia.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that EU and US aim to destabilise Central Asia to push Russia out, that Washington and Brussels playing games to access Central Asia's resources, that the West is forcing Kazakhstan and other Central Asian states to choose an anti-Russian line, that the West seeks to destabilise the situation in post-Soviet territories, or that the West is trying to isolate Central Asia from Moscow and Beijing.