Russian interference in the lives of citizens: the European Council prepares for defense against threats

Brussels – The Russian war in Ukraine is not having the hoped-for successes, and more and more threats and actions are coming from Moscow against the daily lives of European citizens. They are expedients, ways to disrupt, as much as possible, the countries supporting Kyiv against the invasion. They are not strictly military threats but cyberattacks or strong disinformation campaigns that get in the way of the daily lives of Europeans. In short, there is no need to prepare for a war, which is not in sight for the Union, assures High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell.

Paragraph 18 of the draft Conclusions of the European Council to be held today and tomorrow in Brussels says it “underlines the imperative need for enhanced and coordinated military and civilian preparedness and strategic crisis management in the context of the evolving threat landscape.” So the heads of state and government invite the relevant ministers “to take work forward and the Commission, together with the High Representative, to propose actions to strengthen EU-wide preparedness and crisis response at EU level in an all-hazards, whole-of-society approach taking into account Member States’ responsibilities and competencies, with a view to a future preparedness strategy.”

The phrasing is complex, and there are different ways to interpret the meanings, even beyond the will of the European Council. An expert on these dossiers explains that the heads of state and government, in essence, “consider hybrid interference such as cyberattacks and disinformation.” When they write “Whole of society,” they mean, for example, “an attack on the healthcare system that can lead to the death of patients who depend on machinery; an attack on the food supply chain that can cause protests and social chaos,” the expert added. Also possible are cyberattacks “on banking, administrative, and public and private service systems.”

It should also not be forgotten that European elections are less than three months away, and, therefore, “there is a strong risk of a disinformation campaign aimed at polluting the vote,” the expert concludes.

When entering the European Council, Borrell responds to those who have spoken of a threat of war in the European Union, trying to lower the tone. In the draft declaration, Borrell explains there is “an invitation to Europeans to be aware of the challenges they are facing,” which “is positive.” However, the Spaniard stresses, “We must not exaggerate either. War is not imminent. I heard some voices saying that war is imminent. Well, thank God it is not.”

Here is the text of paragraph 18 of the drafts:

“In addition, the European Council underlines the imperative need for enhanced and coordinated military and civilian preparedness and strategic crisis management in the context of the evolving threat landscape. It invites the Council to take work forward and the Commission together with the High Representative to propose actions to strengthen preparedness and crisis response at EU level in an all-hazards and whole-of-society approach, taking into account Member States’ responsibilities and competences, with a view to a future preparedness strategy.”