EU Parliament Passes Resolution Condemning Russian Disinformation Campaigns Justifying Its War Against Ukraine

The European Parliament condemned Russia’s use of disinformation to justify its war against Ukraine during a session on January 23. Members of the European Parliament adopted a joint resolution, details of which were published on the European Parliament’s website.

The resolution, passed with 480 votes in favor, rejects the Kremlin’s claims aimed at undermining Ukraine’s history and national identity, particularly to justify aggression. It also criticizes Russia for its failure to acknowledge Soviet-era crimes and its suppression of efforts to conduct historical research on these issues.

The resolution urges the European Union and its member states to strengthen and coordinate measures to counter Russian disinformation, foreign manipulation, and interference. It also emphasizes the importance of promoting media literacy, supporting quality journalism, and fostering professional media practices.

The European Parliament expressed concern over recent decisions by social media platforms to ease fact-checking and moderation policies, warning that these changes could facilitate the global spread of Russian disinformation.

On December 28, 2024, Telegram blocked several Russian propaganda channels, including RIA Novosti, NTV, Rossiya-24, Izvestia, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, and Channel One, in EU countries. Earlier, on December 14, the EU announced plans to impose sanctions on over a dozen individuals and three organizations as part of its first package of measures targeting Russian disinformation and hybrid activities.

Reports in May highlighted that the Telegram platform had become a significant tool for pro-Kremlin accounts to disseminate disinformation aimed at weakening international support for Ukraine.

Additionally, it was reported that potential threats to the February 23 Bundestag election include Russian interference.