DISINFO: The EU steals Russian assets to fund its proxy war in Ukraine

DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS

  • Outlet: Rossiya 1 ( archive, original )
  • Date of publication: May 22, 2024
  • Article language(s): Russian
  • Countries / regions discussed: Ukraine, Russia, EU

DISINFO: The EU steals Russian assets to fund its proxy war in Ukraine

SUMMARY

The EU has officially elevated robbery to the rank of a foreign policy instrument. The EU is stealing the sovereign assets of a foreign state. This is not about Russia. The EU can behave this way in relation to absolutely any country. The fate of Ukraine is of no interest to anyone, because now the Kyiv regime will be obliged to pay back this money with the lives of Ukrainians. The European Union continues to fight a proxy war, and is now also ready to spend other people’s money on it.

RESPONSE

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation aiming to deter nations from seizing Russia's frozen assets to fund Ukraine's reconstruction. This is also a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that the international sanctions against Russia are inefficient.

In response to Russian aggression against Ukraine, the US, EU and several other countries froze about $300 billion in Russian assets deposited in Western banks. It was Russia's illegal actions against Ukraine, which violate the provisions of many international laws, including the UN Charter, that led to the introduction of a long list of sanctions against Russia.

On 21 May 2024, the Council of the EU greenlighted the use of unexpected and extraordinary revenues resulting from the implementation of EU sanctions against Russia to help Ukraine. These windfall net profits generated by immobilised Russian assets will be used to support Ukraine's armed forces, defence industry and reconstruction. 

Following the launch of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the European Council has adopted 13 packages of sanctions against Russia and Belarus as of May 2024. The measures are designed to weaken Russia's economic base, depriving it of critical technologies and markets and significantly curtailing its ability to wage war. EU restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine apply to a total of over 2100 individuals and entities. By imposing sanctions on Russia, the EU aims to send a strong signal of resolve and unity to the Kremlin, degrade Russia’s ability to wage war.

Read similar disinformation cases claiming that Germans are kleptomaniacs who want to seize Russian assets, that Neo-Nazi Europe seizes property from Russian Jewish anti-fascists, and that The EU using Russian money to support Ukraine is theft.

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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