BRUSSELS, March 18. /TASS/. Meeting at a summit on March 19-20, leaders of 28 European Union countries may decide in favour of setting up in Brussels a body to counter Russian propaganda, draft conclusions of the summit say.
The document that is yet to be approved by all 28 states speaks of a need to counter what it calls a campaign of disinformation coming from Russia.
TASS sources explain that the Baltic states are most concerned about media confrontation with Russia, fearing a growth of anti-European sentiment among the Russian-speaking population of their countries.
This does not refer to Russian-language media only. An expert letter prepared for the summit says that over the recent years Russia has visibly expanded its broadcasting and Internet activity in western languages, presenting basic European values and rights in a distorted way.
If the EU leaders concur, they will give EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini time until the next summit in June to draw up a plan of action in cooperation with EU member states and the European Commission.
Russia’s EU ambassador Vladimir Chizhov told TASS in November 2014 that a campaign to demonize Russia in western media was a manifestation of information war.