DISINFO: The West is using Ukraine as a proxy in the war against Russia
SUMMARY
The West is prolonging the conflict (between Russia and Ukraine) by supplying Ukraine with weapons. The West wants to wear Russia down. It shows that in reality, the US, the EU and NATO fight against Russia using Ukraine as a proxy.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about so-called provocative actions by the US in the run-up to Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, claiming that the West (EU/NATO) is involved in the war on the Ukrainian side.
The war began in 2014 with Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and Russia's military involvement and support of separatists in Donbas. It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII. Russia’s protracted invasion of Ukraine is unprovoked and unjustified.
Neither the US nor European countries have declared war on Russia or want to escalate the war in Ukraine. The US, the EU and NATO condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is entirely unjustified and unprovoked.
Western weapons being delivered to Ukraine are to allow this country to repel Russia’s brutal aggression. Peace cannot be achieved by letting an unarmed Ukraine facing a highly militarised Russia that denies its sovereignty.
Article 51 of the UN Charter states the following: “Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of self-defence shall be immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security.”
This article – when applied to the Russian aggression against Ukraine in 2022 – gives Ukraine the right to defend its territory, not to Russia to invade it.
See other similar cases accusing the West of providing Ukraine with scrap metal weapons, claiming that the West is using Ukrainians as cannon fodder, or proving that the conflict in Ukraine was provoked by Washington.