Britain's May Says Russia Will Not Succeed In 'Sowing Discord In West'
Russia’s efforts to sow discord in the West will not succeed, and they already are prompting Western allies to work together to counter Moscow’s meddling, British Prime Minister Theresa May has said.
In an annual address to the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London late on November 13. May cited a list of recent Russian actions that she said “threaten the international order,” from Moscow’s illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014 to its recent attempts to “weaponize information” through cyberattacks and leaks in Europe and the United States.
Moscow is “deploying its state-run media organizations to plant fake stories and photo-shopped images in an attempt to sow discord in the West and undermine our institutions,” she said, as reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. “So I have a very simple message for Russia. We know what you are doing. And you will not succeed.”
May told Russia: “You underestimate the resilience of our democracies, the enduring attraction of free and open societies, and the commitment of Western nations to the alliances that bind us.”
May’s blunt language targeting the Kremlin contrasted with U.S. President Donald Trump’s friendly remarks over the weekend about Russian President Vladimir Putin, who Trump said told him Russia did not meddle in last year’s U.S. presidential election as U.S. intelligence agencies have claimed.
Despite having to navigate a difficult exit from the European Union mandated by a close referendum vote last year that British agencies are now investigating amid allegations of Russian interference, May in her speech sought to reaffirm Britain’s ties with the EU.
She said London “will take the necessary actions to counter Russian activity” through the NATO alliance and other ties. “The U.K. will remain unconditionally committed to maintaining Europe’s security,” she said.