Brussels, 20 January 2023
The fight against disinformation is a long-term challenge for European democracies and societies. Disinformation undermines the trust of citizens in democracy and democratic institutions. It also contributes to the polarisation of public views and interferes in democratic decision-making processes.
Countering disinformation has become particularly urgent in the context of the Russian war in Ukraine. A disinformation campaign of an unparalleled magnitude has been carried out by Russia since the eve of and during its war of aggression against Ukraine began on 24 February 2022. As part of the Kremlin’s hybrid warfare, Ukraine is a target of propaganda and disinformation spread by the Kremlin and other pro-Russian groups.
The EU response to disinformation
Following the call of the European Council in March 2015 for actions to challenge Russia’s ongoing disinformation campaigns, the EU has strengthened its capabilities to identify and counter disinformation and deal with hybrid threats. Among these initiatives, the European External Action Service (EEAS) East StratCom Task Force established the EUvsDisinfo platform. Its mandate is to forecast, address, and respond to Russia’s disinformation campaigns affecting the European Union, its Member States, and countries in the region.
Since February 2022, EU vs Disinformation has tracked more than 237 disinformation cases relating to Ukraine, and more than 5,500 total disinformation cases about Ukraine since its establishment in 2015 (out of more than 13,000 total examples of pro-Kremlin disinformation).
Learn more about pro-Kremlin disinformation
The Council Library guide provides access to a selection of books and research papers, decisions and measures taken at EU level, selected podcasts and videos, and well-documented websites.
Source – EU Council