EU warned of large-scale Russian disinformation campaign ahead of June elections

In her conversation with "Rz", Jourova spoke of the upcoming European elections in June, in light of the conflict in Ukraine.

"The conflict has already stretched over two years. It's clear: Putin won't halt voluntarily, we need to stop him. We, that means Ukraine, which makes sacrifices of its citizen's lives, and the EU, with financial and military aid. The rose-tinted view with which Europe, especially its Western part, regarded Putin and Russia, no longer exists. There's no room for hesitation. Putin regularly eliminates his adversaries, like Navalny recently, but also Anna Politkovskaya, Boris Nemts and others previously," pointed out the Deputy Head of the European Commission.

She stressed that victory in this conflict is a prerequisite for Europe's security.

"If we are defeated now, we will bear higher costs in the future. Moreover, alongside this tangible conflict at the EU's border, battles of propaganda are being waged. Not just in Europe, but also in Africa, the Middle East, or Latin America. Russia excels at manipulation and the spread of propaganda," added Jourova.

When questioned on what Russia aims to achieve through disinformation, she responded that for Europe the objective is straightforward: Russia intends to undermine the willingness of European leaders to back Ukraine.

"This is the most inexpensive route, since we are democratic nations and leaders can't act without the backing of their voters," Jourova noted.

She highlighted that there's a circulating narrative across Europe that forthcoming elections, whether European or domestic, could potentially be distorted.

"This is a narrative that has been encountered in the USA and has shown impact there. It erodes confidence in democracy," she observed.

She further stated that each disinformation campaign is customised, taking into account the national sensitivities and characteristics.