During the “War and Propaganda in Contemporary Europe: Three Points of View” event, renowned scholars Prof. Mihail Gruev, Prof. Mark Kramer, and Prof. Serhii Plokhy discussed the current influence of Russian propaganda on the war in Ukraine.

Prof. Plokhy noted that the Russian perception of Ukrainians has changed little since the Cold War. He highlighted persistent narratives denying Ukraine’s right to exist as an independent state, portraying it instead as a historical part of Russia, and spreading false claims about a supposed Nazi regime in Kyiv.

Prof. Mihail Gruev raised the critical issue of how Russian influence and propaganda continue to penetrate Bulgarian politics.

Similarly, Prof. Mark Kramer discussed shifts in American politics, particularly within the Republican Party. He argued that while Republicans were strongly anti-Soviet during the Cold War, figures such as former President Trump have recently spoken quite positively about Vladimir Putin.

The event concluded with a Q&A session, during which ambassadors from the Finnish and Ukrainian embassies raised issues relevant to both Bulgaria and their respective countries.