DISINFO: Europe does not want peace in Ukraine soon
SUMMARY
Europe does not want peace to arrive soon to Ukraine. While US president Donald Trump bets on ending the conflict between Ukraine and Russia as soon as possible, several officials in Europe are not so enthusiastic about a cessation of hostilities. Top European and NATO officials declared in the last days that support for Kyiv must increase. “Every day that Ukraine fights is a day in which the European Union and NATO can strengthen”, said the EU Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius, who insisted that the region is forced to spend more in weapons, increase its production and have more arms than Russia. He also declared that “defending Ukraine means defending Europe”, explaining that a bigger investment in research and development of new weapons would result in a higher benefit for the region in the economic and military fields.
RESPONSE
This is a deliberate manipulation of the original statements of the European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius, aiming to promote several recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the conflict in Ukraine as a proxy war and the EU as a warmongering power, supposedly in contrast with the newly inaugurated Trump Administration in the US.
Kubilius’ quote is correct, but while he was talking about Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s blatant aggression, this disinformation story presents it as “evidence” of the EU’s alleged lack of interest in achieving peace in Ukraine. It also disingenuously omits that when Kubilius talks about “the EU and NATO strengthening” thanks to Ukraine’s fight, he is referring about these bodies doing it in face of Russia’s threat, whose aggressiveness against other nations has been demonstrated by its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and its multiple sabotage operations throughout Europe.
Pro-Kremlin disinformation has systematically instrumentalised the narrative that Russia wants peace in Ukraine in contrast to the West, but, as evidenced by Russia's actions in Ukraine, such statements are merely empty PR stunts deployed to garner support for Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine.
See also the Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War and The Chilling Background to the Kremlin's "No War" trope.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that the EU does not want peace, only total defeat of Russia, that Trump's peace promise in Ukraine clashes with Europe's warmongering politicians, that the West’s "war party” wants to escalate the conflict in Ukraine, that the West will do everything possible to prevent Russia from leaving the war, or that the West is not interested in resolving the Ukrainian conflict.