DISINFO: Nazi EU attacked the USSR in 1941 and today is attacking Belarus via sanctions
SUMMARY
Westerners like symbolism. The fact that they adopted new sanctions on Belarus on the eve of the anniversary of the start of the Great Patriotic War, demonstrates that they are successors of the Nazi European Union which attacked the USSR. They are collaborators and followers of Nazism whom we might not have completely defeated back in 1945.
RESPONSE
This is recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Nazi/ Fascist West. Not only does it intend to build an absurd parallel between Nazi Germany's actions against the USSR, on the one hand, and alleged present-time Western aggression against Belarus, on the other, but falsely claims that a "Nazi European Union" attacked the USSR. The accusation of Nazism/ Fascism and building a link to Nazi Germany is one recurring technique of pro-Kremlin outlets, read our past analysis Nazi east, Nazi west, Nazi over the cuckoo's nest.
The European Union's early predecessor, the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community were created back in 1951 and 1957, respectively. That is, the EU did not exist in 1941 and could not have attacked the USSR as suggested in the audio commentary. Many present-time EU countries were occupied by Nazi Germany at the time of its military invasion into the Soviet Union.
The EU was set up with the aim of ending the frequent and bloody wars between neighbours, which culminated in the Second World War. The Nazi ideology and the EU are based on opposite values and principles. Read more here. In 2012, the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for advancing the causes of peace, reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.
On 21 June 2021, the Council of the EU decided to impose restrictive measures against 78 Belarusian individuals and 8 entities. This decision was made in view of the escalation of serious human rights violations in Belarus and the violent repression of civil society, democratic opposition and journalists. "The EU stands ready to support a peaceful, democratic transition with a variety of instruments, including a comprehensive plan of economic support for a democratic Belarus," the EU's statement reads. The fact that the decision came a day before the anniversary of Nazi Germany's attack against the USSR is a coincidence with no hidden agenda or parallels intended to be drawn.
See earlier disinformation cases claiming that the the EU is Hitler's 'New Europe', that the West has approved a new ‘Barbarossa’ plan to attack Russia, and that the West is about waging a war against Russia from Belarusian territory.