DISINFO: Western hawks and Lithuania trying to convert Europe into one big Ukraine
SUMMARY
Western hawks want to convert Europe into one big Ukraine, forcing it to once and for all destroy relations with Russia. It includes a hard geopolitical fight for post-Soviet states.
Part of these processes is the Czech provocation (Vrbetice incident). The visible role of Lithuania should also be mentioned. Vilnius enthusiastically implements the plan of radical confrontations between the EU and Russia. Lithuania is making it during meetings of the EU leaders, activities in the European Parliament and the Eastern Partnership Programme.
RESPONSE
Recurring disinformation narrative about anti-Russian powers in Europe.
The EU is still seeing Russia as a natural and important partner in combating regional and global challenges. Russia is the EU's largest neighbour. It could not be excluded from the agenda of the EU foreign policy. However, Moscow's illegal annexation of Crimea and the conflict in Eastern Ukraine have seriously affected the bilateral political dialogue between the EU and Russia (see more information about relations between the EU and Russia here and here).
Evaluation of the Eastern Partnership Programme as anti-Russian is groundless. The Eastern Partnership initiative is not against any country; it is a mutually beneficial and constructive platform for countries in the region to build a closer relationship with the EU if they choose to do so. The EU does not demand any of its partners to make a choice between the EU or any other country.
Russia's illegal actions in other countries have also affected negatively the relations with Europe. Vrbetice incident is one of the newest examples. Even though Russia does not recognise its responsibility for the Vrbetice incident, the investigation by Czech authorities established beyond doubt that GRU agents Anatoly Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin, the same individuals considered responsible for the attempted murder of Sergey Skripal in Salisbury in 2018, were behind an explosion in an ammunition storage depot in the Czech location of Vrbetice in 2014, which killed two people.
See earlier cases of disinformation about Western and European Russophobia and attempts to “destroy relations with Russia”: EU prepares new smear campaign against Russia, accuses it of anti-vax activities; The “highly likely” argument is used again to spread lies about Russia; Russia-EU relations were destroyed by Brussels declaring Russia an aggressor.