DISINFO: For the US and Europe, Ukraine is just a training ground against Russia
SUMMARY
For the US and Europe, Ukraine and Ukrainians are just a training ground and theatre of military operations against Russia. They did not intend and are not going to help Ukraine, give money to former political opponents, provide them with vaccines or treat them. This is not within their plans. The State Department resolves its geopolitical issues in the region, playing on the feelings of Ukrainians with their eternal thirst for freebies.
RESPONSE
Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on Ukraine and its statehood, alleging that the country is abandoned.
Ukraine is not abandoned and is not a training ground against Russia for the US or Europe.
Ukraine is a priority partner for the European Union (EU). The EU supports Ukraine in ensuring a stable, prosperous and democratic future for its citizens and is unwavering in its support for Ukraine’s independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty. Since 2014, the EU and the Financial Institutions have mobilised more than €15 billion in grants and loans to support the reform process, with strong conditionality on continued progress.
Ukraine is a priority partner for the US too. US assistance to Ukraine since 2014 totals over $3.7 billion, plus three $1 billion sovereign loan guarantees. For financial year 2020, Congress has appropriated $698 million: $448 million for State/USAI programs and $250 million for USAI, and $50 million for lethal assistance.
To combat COVID, the United States has provided over $26 million in assistance in new and redirected funding. This funding will prepare laboratory systems, activate case-finding and event-based surveillance, support technical experts for response and preparedness, bolster risk communication and support water, sanitation and hygiene interventions for the most vulnerable populations in eastern Ukraine. Assistance will also counter disinformation, bolster media’s health reporting capacity, expand the government’s ability to continue operating under pandemic-related restrictions and support Ukraine’s economic recovery.
See other disinformation cases in our database relating to the statehood of Ukraine: that Europe has decіded that Ukraіne іs not needed as a state, that the West іs preparіng the dіsіntegratіon of Ukraіne, that the West controls Ukrainian economy and pumps out its resources, that the EU Association Agreement made Ukraine a colony of the EU, or that the EU provіdes practіcally no assіstance to Ukraіne.