France, Germany, and Poland collaborate on joint strategy to counter Russian disinformation and bots

The foreign ministers of France, Germany, and Poland raised concerns about countering extensive Russian disinformation campaigns and influence on European public opinion through coordinated networks of bots and trolls.

The German publication Spiegel reported that Paris, Berlin, and Warsaw suspect that active attempts to destabilize the public will happen before European elections and during the Olympic Games in Paris.

French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné stated that the three capitals had agreed on a joint "prevention mechanism" to resist influence operations.

France has uncovered the activities of a pro-Russian propaganda network consisting of so-called "information portals" that portray Russian intervention in Ukraine positively and disparage the Ukrainian government.

Since the summer of 2023, France has actively monitored Moscow-controlled information operations in several European countries, including those targeting French, German, and Polish citizens with mass use of bots and trolls.

Paris acknowledges that this was just preparation for a larger campaign before the European elections to influence public opinion and undermine support for Ukraine.

The German Foreign Ministry recently uncovered a systematic disinformation campaign in favor of Russia in the German-speaking segment of the X social network.

Analysts have found over 50,000 accounts in the past month that clearly do not belong to real individuals and are involved in coordinated information campaigns in Germany. On some days, these bots have generated about 200,000 tweets per day. Their activity decreases on weekends and holidays, which are holidays in Russia.

Among these posts, a widespread narrative is that Germany neglects the interests of its population to support Ukraine. First-person bots write that they "find it strange that the government does more for other countries than for its citizens."

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbok noted that Russia may use discord, including over who in the EU is doing more or less to help Ukraine.

"We shouldn't fuel this. Support for Ukraine should continue not in 'competition' but together. Our unity is our strength," she said.

EU High Representative Josep Borrell also believes that the 2024 elections are the main target for disinformation and foreign interference.

"One of the most significant threats of our time is not a bomb that can kill you, but poison that can colonize your mind," Borrell said in his keynote speech, presenting the second annual EU disinformation report.

The top EU diplomat pointed out that security is no longer just a matter of weapons and armies but also information and how people receive ideas and facts that will ultimately shape how citizens choose their leaders.

"Remember that uncontrolled harmful content spreads like cancer and threatens the health of democracy, but we have tools to effectively combat this disease. We have potential; we need more," Borrell added.