DISINFO: The US and Annalena Baerbock are inciting the Ukrainians to war
SUMMARY
Is the West inciting Ukraine in a search for new armed conflicts? Western countries are again threatening Russia with sanctions, while Ukraine wants to join NATO and cause new serious problems near the Russian borders because the West never renounced the idea of encircling and dividing Russia. It seems that the current US administration has completely rejected the attempt of Donald Trump’s former government to put in practice a rapprochement to Russia. Its current agenda is reduced to threats to Russia’s functioning and security, threatening it with war. Russia’s behaviour is merely defensive. Another factor is Angela Merkel’s exit. In her place, we have now Annalena Baerbock with her very problematic policy, which along with US State Department planners can really take this conflict beyond what is acceptable in international relations and cause another conflagration, by inciting Ukrainians to war.
RESPONSE
This is a mix of several recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Ukraine and encircling Russia, part of an ongoing disinformation campaign about Russia’s military buildup on the Ukrainian border.
By accusing the West, and especially the new governments in the US and Germany, of inciting conflict in Ukraine, and by labelling Russia’s moves as “merely defensive”, this article aims to deflect any Russian responsibility for the situation. The mention of German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock's policies as "problematic" an attempt is made to reduce her role. It further serves to prepare the ground to frame her party's longstanding opposition to Russian pipeline Nord Stream 2 for environmental and political reasons, including its possible cancellation in case of further escalation in Ukraine, as an aggressive, anti-Russian move.
The tensions are a direct result of Russia’s actions since late October 2021, including the deployment of more than 90,000 troops, as well as of certain specialised military units, electronic warfare systems and heavy-armoured vehicles. Despite Russian denials, this has been proven by satellite images and intelligence from the US, Ukraine and NATO, among other countries and institutions. The European Union has stated that it will be standing firmly and decisively with Ukraine in front of any attempt to undermine its territorial integrity and sovereignty and has warned of severe political consequences and a high political and economic cost for Russia if it proceeds with further aggressive actions.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that NATO is egging Ukraine on a military gamble, that the US is instigating war on Ukraine to boycott the Nord Stream 2 project, or that Russian aggression is used as a pretext to station NATO military close to Russia’s borders.