“One -sided disarmament act”? The USA is breaking agreements with Europe regarding the fight against Russian disinformation
2025-09-09 12:00
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2025-09-09 12:00
The United States has informed European countries that they are withdrawing from joint efforts to combat disinformation from Russia, China and Iran, “said the British newspaper” Financial Times “, citing three European officials familiar with the case.
Last week, the State Department sent a notification about the termination of contracts, which were signed in 2024, during President Joe Biden's term of office, “FT” said on Monday. These agreements were aimed at developing a uniform approach to identifying and disclosing disinformation distributed by the governments of other countries. Poland was one of the countries that he signed last year.
The decision to break the agreements was made shortly after the administration of US President Donald Trump closed some government agencies, including in April the Office for Counteracting Foreign Interference and Manipulation of Information (R/Fimi).
James Rubin, the former head of this office, previously functioning under the name Global Engagement Center (GEC), called it a move “A unilateral act of disarmament” in the information war with Russia and China. – The information war is the reality of our time, and artificial intelligence only increases the risk related to it – he said in an interview with “FT”. According to his estimates, 22 countries from Europe and Africa signed the last year.
The British daily reminded that in September 2024, GEC accused the RT (Russia Today) television station financed by the Russian government, of acting on behalf of the Russian special services, the use of cyber espionage and attempt to manipulate the presidential elections in Moldova in favor of Moscow. At that time, the US imposed sanctions for disseminating disinformation on both RT and other Russian broadcasters.
The activity of the RT station was banned in the EU territory after Russia began in February 2022 a full -size invasion of Ukraine.
From London Marta Zabłocka (PAP)
MZB/ Szm/
