Key Insights:
In February Kremlin-aligned Telegram channels disseminated a set of narratives centered around Trump’s statements and U.S. foreign policy shifts, claiming that the U.S. no longer cares about Ukraine and the Baltic States, aiming to erode trust in Western alliances and suggesting Russian ascendency.
The main narratives were:
- Baltic security concerns are irrelevant and laughable
- The US does not care about the Baltic States
- The Baltic States are puppet states of the West
Overview of the Findings:
Kremlin-aligned Telegram channels propagated narratives designed to undermine the security, sovereignty, and independence of the Baltic States. These narratives tie current events to established negative portrayals of the region, using mockery, selective reporting, and fear-mongering to diminish the Baltic States’ political and economic standing.
A prime example of this was the reaction to the Baltic States’ decision to withdraw from the Russian BRELL electricity network and join the European Union’s power grid. Russian media outlets and Telegram channels mocked the move and implied that the Baltic States were simply puppets of the West, following European mandates rather than making independent decisions. Other posts employed more aggressive tones, framing the Baltic States’ energy shift as an irrational decision that will revert the Baltic States back to the “Middle Ages” driven by an attempt to escape the “legacy of the damned Soviet Union” without any real benefits. These outlets omitted any mention of the enhanced energy security the Baltic States would gain by joining the European grid, presenting a skewed narrative that emphasized the economic burden while ignoring the strategic advantages of the shift.
The narratives pushed by these Telegram channels were not confined to energy issues alone. Following the Trump-Zelensky fallout, these channels seized upon the discord to further undermine the Baltic States. They celebrated the tensions between the U.S. and Ukraine, ridiculing the Baltic nations and their concerns. Posts painted the Baltic States as weak, desperate, and irrelevant, claiming that neither Russia nor the U.S. cared about their opinions. These channels also suggested that the U.S. would abandon the region, amplifying anxieties about the future of Baltic security. The channels portrayed the Baltic States and the EU as increasingly sidelined, often mocking European leaders for their desperation in seeking high-level contact with the U.S.
The Kremlin-aligned messaging extended beyond mockery and ridicule to more direct forms of threats. These channels suggested that the Baltic States might one day be forced to “switch sides” politically and re-align with Russia, employing historical revisionism to imply that the Baltic States had voluntarily joined the Soviet Union in the past. Posts hinted at potential Russian conquest, with ominous statements like, “This has already happened twice in the twentieth century.” These channels undermined Baltic sovereignty, calling Latvia a “colony” of the U.S. and Britain, undermining the region’s independence, and framing its decisions as being dictated by foreign powers.
Story of the Month:
Russian Propaganda Capitalizes on Trump’s Statements
Kremlin-aligned Telegram channels have seized upon recent statements by former U.S. President Donald Trump to further their ongoing propaganda campaign against the Baltic States and the European Union. Following a phone conversation between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, monitored channels exulted in what they saw as a blow to European and Baltic interests, celebrating the discord between the U.S. and Ukraine. They painted a picture of an ascendant Russia, engaging directly with the U.S., while portraying the Baltic nations and the broader EU as increasingly isolated, desperate, and irrelevant in the global political landscape.
One of the key narratives promoted by these Telegram channels centers on a supposed abandonment of the Baltic States by the U.S. The channels relished in exaggerating the implications of the Trump-Putin call, suggesting that it marked a “betrayal” of Baltic interests and would go down in history as a “black day for Europe.” They mocked European leaders and Baltic figures, claiming that both Russia and the U.S. had no interest in the EU’s opinion, framing European leaders as weak and desperate for high-level contact with Trump. Monitored channels highlighted potential U.S. military withdrawal from the Baltics, using it to suggest that the Baltic States would eventually have no choice but to align with Russia.
In addition to mocking the region’s political actions, monitored Telegram channels made subtle threats against Latvia and the Baltic States. Latvian MP Roslikovs, for instance, claimed that if Latvia did not support Trump’s stance on Russia, it could face disastrous consequences, warning that the country would be sent “back to the Stone Age.” Posts in other Telegram channels portrayed the Baltic States as the true aggressors in the region, accusing them of seeking to “commit suicide against Russia” through their alliance with the West. Meanwhile, other posts suggested that Latvia is a “colony” of Britain and the United States. Trump’s criticism of Ukrainian President Zelensky, further fueled this narrative, aligning the U.S. with Russian interests and casting doubt on the U.S.’s commitment to the security of the Baltic States.
The Kremlin’s strategic use of Trump’s statements reflects a broader effort to weaken Western unity and increase division within NATO. By framing the Baltic States as increasingly isolated, irrelevant, and even self-destructive in their support for Ukraine, these channels aim to position Russia as an inevitable regional power that the Baltic States will eventually have to accommodate. This narrative not only serves to undermine the Baltic States’ sovereignty but also aims to diminish European concerns about regional security, ultimately reinforcing the Kremlin’s vision of Russia as a dominant geopolitical force.
