Main narratives:
- Malign Western influence;
- Skepticism towards NATO functionality;
- Discrediting Ukraine and its effort to win the war;
- Anti-support for Ukraine;
- General anti-government sentiments.
Overview:
Over the past week, Kremlin-aligned media in Lithuania has focused heavily on the recent meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky. The meeting was marked by rising tensions between the two leaders, as Trump was reportedly frustrated with Zelensky’s approach to peace negotiations. Malign sources repeatedly pushed the claim that Ukraine must abandon its NATO aspirations, reinforcing Russia’s strategic goals and casting doubt on Western security commitments.
Kremlin-aligned outlets also emphasized Trump’s frustration with Zelensky, portraying him as disrespectful and unwilling to apologize for his “offensive tone” toward the U.S. Additionally, they pushed the narrative that Zelensky himself does not want peace, blaming Ukraine for prolonging the war and rejecting Trump’s supposed efforts to negotiate a settlement.
At the same time, these outlets further escalated war-related disinformation, claiming that Lithuania is fueling a “war machine” against Russia. Fear-mongering rhetoric was used to spread panic and insecurity, promoting the broader Kremlin strategy of undermining support for Ukraine and portraying the West as the real aggressor, or at least as a poor ally.
