AI translations:

DISINFO: The Russian special operation in Ukraine was not a choice

SUMMARY

The special military operation in Ukraine was not a choice; Russian President Vladimir Putin invited the United States and NATO to come to the negotiating table and discuss security guarantees to stop further NATO expansion eastward, but they refused. So Russia was forced to act against Ukraine.

RESPONSE

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the war in Ukraine, actively trying to legitimise Russia’s invasion of the country.

The claim that the NATO is responsible for the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine is one of the key messages of pro-Kremlin propaganda. It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII.

NATO's expansion was not directed against Russia or hostile to it. Central and Eastern European countries began seeking NATO membership in the early 1990s. NATO actively sought to create a cooperative environment that was conducive to enlargement while simultaneously building special relations with Russia.

Furthermore, NATO does not "expand" in the imperialistic sense as described by pro-Kremlin media. Rather, it considers the applications of candidate countries who exercise their free choice of alliance affiliation and want to join the Alliance.

See similar stories that NATO continued to grow despite promises given to Gorbachev; that NATO broke its promise not to advance Eastward; Russia had been deceived by NATO promises; that NATO’s anti-Russian orientation is enshrined in its doctrine.

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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