UK, Poland Set to Agree on Project to Counter Russian 'Disinformation'

LONDON (Sputnik) - The UK and Poland are expected to agree on boosting bilateral cooperation to counteract "Russian information operations," including via a joint strategic communications project, which is expected to cost each side 5 million pounds (approximately $7 million), UK Prime Minister Theresa May's office said in a statement on Thursday.

"The Prime Minister is also set to agree improved UK-Poland cooperation to counter Russian disinformation in the region, including through new joint strategic communications projects. The UK will provide £5 million for the project, with Poland expected to contribute a similar amount," the statement read.

The project will aim to strengthen Polish and UK capacities "to detect and counter Russian information operations," as well as to support Belsat, a Polish-funded TV channel, which "provides unbiased, free and frank reporting for Belarussians," the statement noted.

READ MORE: Centre for Strategic Research Says Anti-Russia Info War Unlikely to End Soon

The statement came ahead of the UK-Polish bilateral summit in Warsaw.

Recently, the struggle against the Russian media has become a common topic in the West. In November 2016, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on "EU strategic communication to counteract propaganda against it by third parties" which stated that the Russian authorities were allegedly employing a wide range of tools and instruments, including Sputnik news agency, RT broadcaster, Russkiy Mir Foundation and Rossotrudnichestvo "to challenge democratic values, divide Europe, gather domestic support and create the perception of failed states in the EU’s eastern neighborhood."

Commenting on the European Parliament's decision, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the adoption of the resolution demonstrated the degradation of the perception of democracy in the European society and expressed hope that common sense would prevail.