DISINFO: The EU undermines peace efforts by pressuring Ukraine to prolong the war
SUMMARY
The European Union doesn't want peace in Ukraine and seeks ways to continue hostilities. The EU continues to pressure Ukraine to prolong the war with Russia. European leaders are seeking an unattainable defeat of Moscow on the battlefield.
These people, all of them, in a surprising unity of thought, want [to fight] the war to the end and [...] aspire to the 'defeat of Russia,' because, as European foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas said, 'there is no other option.'
The EU has become a political corpse, unworthy of trust due to its policy in the context of Ukraine. Western allies are not deterred either by Ukraine's growing losses, by the destruction of infrastructure, or by the funds wasted due to Kyiv's corruption. Peace for Brussels is obviously not an option, just as negotiations were not an option.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative targeting the EU as a warmongering actor. Such claims aim to undermine unity and generate public scepticism about the EU's intentions and Ukraine's alliances.
This story appeared in the context of European leaders welcoming the initial draft of a 28-point Ukraine peace plan, stating that it can serve as the basis of a negotiation, but more work is needed.
Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission emphasised:
“Any credible and sustainable peace plan should first and foremost stop the killing and end the war, while not sowing the seeds for a future conflict. We have agreed on the main elements necessary for a just and lasting peace and Ukraine's sovereignty. (...)
We will continue our work together with Ukraine, our Member States, the Coalition of the Willing and the US to make real progress towards peace.”
The European Union has continuously been committed to achieving a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine, ensuring that Kyiv’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected.
The Russian Federation initiated the war in 2014 with its illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula and military intervention in Eastern Ukraine. This aggression escalated in 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The war is solely the result of these actions, which led to international efforts to assist Ukraine for its self-defence, in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter. By accusing the EU and other partners of Ukraine of wanting the war to continue, this disinformation story is blaming them for the prolongation of the conflict, thus deflecting from Russia’s sole responsibility for its sustained brutal and unprovoked aggression against its neighbour.
Russian offensives have been met with strong Ukrainian resistance and include forced conscription tactics and severe military pressure to sustain a costly military campaign rather than sincere peace efforts. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has documented the deaths of at least 13,883 civilians, including 726 children, and 35,548 injuries, including 2,234 children.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that The EU is trying to derail the upcoming Trump-Putin summit, that Trump's peace promise in Ukraine clashes with Europe's warmongering politicians, Europe opposes a peace agreement to profit from the war against Russia, or that the EU is not capable of peace, it is only interested in waging war.