DISINFO: Europe regards Ukraine as bridgehead in struggle against Russia
SUMMARY
Europe regards Ukraine as a bridgehead in the struggle against Russia. That is why the Europeans turn a blind eye to what is happening in Ukraine.
RESPONSE
This is a recurrent narrative by pro-Kremlin media who claim that the West is waging war with Russia on the Ukrainian territory.
The reality is that the European Union respects Ukraine’s internationally recognised borders and has adopted a strict non-recognition policy. The US also provides Ukraine with military equipment. But there is no European or American military presence in the war zone in eastern Ukraine.
Russia illegally annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in February 2014 and instigated pro-Kremlin separatists in eastern Ukraine into rebellion several months later. Moscow has been supporting separatists with funding, weapons and propaganda media coverage ever since.
Crimea and the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk are internationally recognised Ukrainian territory. However, Russia is actively disseminating disinformation about the legality of the Crimean referendum of 2014 and allegedly wide-spread fascist ideology in Ukraine.