Russia blames the EU for prolonging the war – while its own bombs rain down on Ukraine. Classic Kremlin logic.
A new, nefarious bit of spin is making the rounds, courtesy of Russian state-run outlets. The claim? That Russia and the US are actually on the same page when it comes to ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – while European leaders like Macron, Starmer, and Germany’s future Chancellor Merz are secretly cheering for more war. According to this twisted narrative, Europe is just pretending to want peace, while supposedly plotting to keep the war alive.
The art of distortion
The latest iteration of this false narrative hinges on a comment from Bruno Kahl, head of Germany’s intelligence service.
Kahl’s actual point? He warned that a negotiated end (or pause) to Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine probably would not put an end to Russia’s aggressive tendencies and might even lead it to re-focus its energy on Europe. You know, the whole hybrid warfare, cyberattacks, election meddling thing.
What Kahl is really saying is that we should be careful about a hasty peace that lets Russia off the hook. But let’s just ignore that nuance and twist it into the EU somehow loving war.
The Kremlin’s logic fail
Let’s not forget that the EU has consistently called for a just and lasting peace – one that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
However, the narrative being pushed by pro-Kremlin outlets suggests this is just a facade, implying that the EU is more interested in prolonging the suffering than supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty. Because doesn’t it make perfect sense that the EU’s goal would be to keep Europe locked in a never-ending war, rather than working toward a peaceful resolution?
This false narrative is really about deflecting attention from Russia’s own deliberate decision to launch a full-scale invasion and its subsequent war crimes. It is easier to point the finger at the West and say, ‘They want the war to continue!’ than, you know, acknowledge that Russia is the one who started it and keeps it going.
By spinning this absurd ‘EU as warmongering’ line, Kremlin-backed outlets try to shift the blame and make it look like Russia’s imperial expansionism is just a misunderstood act of self-defence. In reality, the EU is supporting Ukraine’s right to exist as a free and sovereign nation, something Russia is hell-bent on denying.
Sowing confusion
The Kremlin’s goal is simple – muddy the waters. If you can convince people that the EU is the real warmonger, then maybe, just maybe, Russia’s actions won’t look so bad. It is a neat little trick – just ignore the fact that Russia broke every rule in the book, and blame the West for everything instead.
However, don’t be deceived. The EU’s stance is clear: peace based on Ukraine’s sovereignty, not Russia’s imperial ambitions.
Also spotted on EUvsDisinfo’s radar this week:
A recent piece of disinformation purports that Russia has introduced a temporary halt in strikes on Ukraine as a way to test Kyiv’s commitment to agreements with Moscow and Washington, and then possibly leading to a full ceasefire later on. However, this is grossly misleading to say the very least. After Putin’s phone call with Trump on 18 March, where he allegedly agreed to halt strikes, Russia launched new attacks on 19 March, targeting civilian infrastructure like hospitals and residential buildings. Like we have covered before (see also here) this ongoing aggression contradicts Russia’s claims of seeking ‘peace’, revealing that its true intent is to continue destabilising Ukraine and pursuing its maximalist goals, not a fair resolution.
RT in Arabic language has claimed that the West hopes that the proposed 30-day truce in Ukraine will resemble the Minsk agreements, allowing Ukraine to rearm before resuming fighting. This is part of a recurring pro-Kremlin narrative attempting to legitimise Russia’s invasion by falsely implying Ukraine’s failure to implement the Minsk agreements from 2014 and 2015. In reality, Russia repeatedly violated these agreements, failing to implement agreed-upon ceasefires, withdraw heavy weapons, or exchange prisoners, all in the pursuit of further aggressive actions to conquer more Ukrainian territory and weaken Kyiv. The EU has emphasised that any peace process must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty, involve Europe, and include robust security guarantees to prevent further Russian aggression.
Another RT false allegation suggests that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said NATO countries should restore ties with Russia, once the Ukraine war ends. This misrepresents Rutte’s actual statement. In reality, Rutte emphasised that it would be ‘normal’ to restore relations gradually after the war ends, but stressed that this is not the current situation. He insisted that pressure on Russia must continue in order to ensure serious negotiations. As always, the Kremlin distorts Rutte’s words, omitting this crucial context to push a pro-Kremlin narrative, a common tactic used to manipulate legitimate Western sources.