To create discord between the Russian people and Vladimir Putin, that is the goal pursued by France and Germany. The two European allies would like to drive a wedge between the citizens and the leader by countering the current propaganda.
This is at least what emerges from an article entitled “Defending the international order in the era of systemic rivalry: EU-Russia relations”, of which the American media outlet Bloomberg obtained a copy. In this informal document that serves as the basis for the work, France and Germany call on the European Union to find creative ways to spread independent information to and within Russia.
Invest in social networks
This free note is scheduled to circulate on August 30 and 31 on the occasion of a meeting of European Foreign Ministers in Prague (Czech Republic). He will discuss future sanctions against Russia, particularly in the context of granting visas. France and Germany warn against too severe restriction of visas. This could “feed the Russian narrative” and generate popular support for the propaganda carried out in the country, the note states.
Instead, the Franco-German couple recommends using “technical measures against Russian censorship, for example through an Internet censorship circumvention center,” the document states. But France and Germany also want to invest in social media to limit the impact of Russian official discourse.
They suggest funding media education courses in the Russian language. These messages would then be broadcast by bloggers on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, or even Telegram and Vkontakte, the Russian equivalent of Facebook. This would help provide an independent information relay in Russia.
For the moment, these measures must be discussed between the foreign ministers of the member states of the European Union. The difficulty of these debates is finding a middle ground between the countermeasures implemented and the need for communication between Europe and Russia.
Source: BFM TV
Emily Miller is a voice to be reckoned with in the world of opinion journalism. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a unique and thought-provoking perspective to current events and political issues, delivering insightful and engaging commentary.