Photo: Truthmeter.mk

This article was first published by Truthmeter.mk (North Macedonia), within the framework of Western Balkans Anti-Disinformation Project.

The Russian propaganda machine, ever since several European representatives joined the initiative not to participate in the celebration in Moscow, has spun it as “fascist behavior by Europe.” One of the reasons for the EU countries’ stance not to go to Moscow on May 9 is that Kyiv invited them in a symbolic move to oppose Vladimir Putin’s ceremony in Moscow, in order to “demonstrate unity with Ukraine and determination in the face of the greatest aggression in Europe since World War II”

We analyze a Facebook post that reads:

We got another EU clown, who are obviously being clowned. What insolence, uncultured, fascist behavior of EU representatives. I don’t understand, do these current domestic political elites have basic, fundamental morality? This is something you ditch at the first encounter.

As part of the post, a statement by European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos is shared:

The decision to go to Moscow is up to the President of Serbia, but if he goes, I will have a very difficult task to help Serbia stay firmly on the European path. Going to Moscow and celebrating with Putin or his army that is killing people in Ukraine is so contrary to European values.

Contrary to what is stated in the post we are reviewing, the unifying stance of the European Union and its representatives in terms of how they will position themselves towards foreign policy, especially in relation to Russia, does not constitute “fascist behavior” but rather a right and an obligation. However, the Russian propaganda machine, from the moment when several European representatives joined the initiative not to participate in the celebration in Moscow, has turned this around, or rather spun it, as if it were “fascist behavior of Europe.”

One of the reasons for the EU countries’ stance not to go to Moscow on May 9 is that Kyiv has invited them in a symbolic move to oppose Vladimir Putin’s ceremony in Moscow, in order to “demonstrate unity with Ukraine and determination in the face of the greatest aggression in Europe since World War II.” The administration of Volodymyr Zelensky, as reported by “The Kyiv Independent,” is trying to divert attention from Moscow’s annual military parade, which comes 3 years after Russia launched its unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Zelensky plans to gather European leaders on the same day, according to the media outlet, to discuss potential security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire with Russia.

As can be seen from the statement of the European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, she does not take away the choice of the Serbian president whether to go to Moscow or not, but says that it would signal taking a stand. She is not the only one who holds this opinion. Vladimir Putin invited the leaders of China, Israel, Brazil, Slovakia, and Serbia to attend the May 9 celebrations in Moscow, when the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II is marked. Neither the EU nor its leaders are supporters of fascism and Nazism, but since the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine (a sovereign, independent country with a democratically elected government and president), they have been exercising their right to support Ukraine in its right to self-defense.

“What was also discussed and very clearly said by different Member States is that any participation in the 9th of May parades – or celebrations – in Moscow will be not taken lightly on the European side, considering that Russia is really waging a full-scale war in Europe,” said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas after the Foreign Affairs Council.

The reason why EU member states are being advised not to go to Moscow on May 9 is that Russia justified its military invasion of Ukraine with the so-called “denazification.” As Euractiv reports, at a meeting in Luxembourg, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha invited EU countries to come to Kyiv on May 9 as a show of diplomatic muscle to counter the military parade in Russia on the same day. The EU strongly condemns the politically motivated misuse of the anti-Nazism narrative and unequivocally rejects the inaccurate and misleading use of the term “denazification” to justify Russia’s inhumane, cruel and aggressive war against Ukraine. The European Union, contrary to the postulates of fascism, is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are fundamentally democratic and adhere to the principles of liberal democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The EU places a strong emphasis on human rights, fundamental freedoms, and the protection of minorities. It has mechanisms to uphold these principles, such as the European Court of Human Rights.

Due to all of the above facts, we rate the post we are reviewing as one that misses context.