According to pro-Kremlin propaganda, the EU is continuously militarizing and preparing for a direct war with Russia by escalating the armed conflict in Ukraine.
NEWS: Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko stated that Europe is preparing for a military confrontation with Russia. “There is an obvious line of military confrontation with Russia and, in general, preparation for a military clash with Russia, if we look at the nature of the military activities and planning being carried out there”, the diplomat pointed out.
Grushko also said that NATO exercises along Russia’s borders are becoming increasingly aggressive. According to him, Europe is following the path of escalation by supplying Ukraine with weapons of ever-longer range. The diplomat stressed that the risks of escalating the Russian-Ukrainian conflict are very high.
NARRATIVES: 1. The EU is preparing for a war against Russia. 2. Europe has abandoned the path of diplomatic dialogue and entered a spiral of militarization. 3. NATO and the EU are seeking to escalate the conflict in Ukraine and become directly involved in the war.
PURPOSE: To justify the Russian Federation’s expansionist policy. To fuel divisions within Western societies between “peace supporters” and “war supporters”. To shift responsibility for the aggression against Ukraine from Russia to the West.
Fact: The Eu fears a possible Russian aggression and is strengthening its defense capabilities, given that it does not have its own army.
WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: The statements made by the Russian diplomat repeat a disinformation mechanism by means of which the Kremlin seeks to reverse roles: the aggressor becomes the victim, while support for an invaded country is portrayed as a threat. In fact, the EU is not planning a military confrontation with the Russian Federation, since it does not have its own army. Europe’s defense is the responsibility of NATO and national armies, and any collective defensive action must be approved by national governments.
Recent statements made by European and NATO leaders consistently demonstrate their commitment to peace and stability. The military support provided to Ukraine — weapons, training, and funding — is not a preparation for war, but rather support for defensive action, in line with Article 51 in the UN Charter, which guarantees the right of states to defend themselves against armed aggression. The war in Ukraine was not provoked by the West, but initiated by Russia through an unprovoked invasion condemned by the UN General Assembly, which confirmed Russia’s status as the aggressor and demanded the immediate withdrawal of its troops. Presenting international support for Ukraine as “preparation for military confrontation” is therefore an act of manipulation.
The EU has consistently advocated peaceful solutions and a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, starting with the French-German mediation of the Donbas war in 2014–2015. Thanks to that intervention, the hot phase of the war was temporarily frozen. Through the introduction of sanctions against Russia and the delivery of support for Ukraine, the EU has sought to weaken Moscow’s war machine. The EU has sanctioned numerous individuals and organizations and restricted access to essential technologies and markets.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU has provided Kyiv with economic, humanitarian, and military aid totaling over 88 billion Euro. It has also established a new Ukraine Facility, designed to provide up to 50 billion Euro in stable consistent support between 2024 and 2027. This commitment demonstrates the EU’s intention to promote stability and peace in the region, not to perpetuate the conflict.
In the lead-up to the invasion, many European leaders — including French President Emmanuel Macron — repeatedly emphasized the need for dialogue and urged Vladimir Putin to avoid launching a large-scale war. Nevertheless, the Kremlin rejected diplomatic appeals and deliberately chose the path of territorial expansion and military aggression against Ukraine.
At the same time, rhetoric about Europe’s supposed “militarization” or a “spiral of escalation” ignores the political context. The NATO military exercises mentioned by Aleksandr Grushko are strictly defensive in nature. They are publicly announced, reported to the OSCE, and even notified to the Russian Federation, in accordance with the Vienna Document, which compels participating states to inform others in advance regarding such military activities. Unlike NATO exercises, Russian maneuvers such as the Zapad exercise have included offensive scenarios targeting Central Europe, involving Belarusian troops. Moreover, the EU’s focus on armament and defense strengthening reflects fears of a potential Russian attack. The military exercises and reinforcement of NATO’s eastern flank are intended to deter possible aggression against member states’ territories, not to prepare an attack on Russia.
It is worth noting that Moscow has rejected all mediation initiatives from the UN, Turkey, the Vatican or China, making any negotiations conditional on the recognition of the illegal annexations of Ukrainian territories and on Kyiv’s de facto capitulation. Conversely, the EU has supported peace initiatives. At the Lucerne summit in June 2024, EU member states reaffirmed their commitment to reaching a peace settlement that should observe the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
In the declaration adopted at the NATO summit in June 2025, the Allies clearly stated that support for Ukraine is an integral part of strengthening collective security. European Council documents adopted during the same period refer to the fact that Europe must be more responsible for its own defense, and that military support to partners is an element of observing the rules-based international order.
BACKGROUND: Aleksandr Grushko’s statements come against the backdrop of increased European support for Ukraine, the adoption of a new package of economic sanctions and pressure on US president Donald Trump not to abandon Kyiv. In recent weeks, Russian propaganda channels – including RIA Novosti and Lenta – have promoted similar messages, such as: “The EU wants war”, “The West is pushing Ukraine to suicide” or “NATO will attack Russia”. By contrast, European leaders have consistently reiterated that peace can only be achieved by stopping Russian aggression and restoring Ukraine’s sovereignty. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the UN that NATO and the EU have declared a “real war” on Russia through Ukraine.
