Last week, U.S. authorities notified European Union countries of the termination of joint efforts to counter disinformation originating from Russia, China, and Iran. According to the Financial Times, citing three European officials familiar with the situation, this decision was communicated to the EU.
The memoranda, which the U.S. declared terminated, were signed during Joe Biden’s presidency and were part of an initiative overseen by a specialized State Department agency—the Global Engagement Center.
Former head of the center James Rubin, who held the position until December 2024, described the termination of the memoranda as a "unilateral disarmament" in the information confrontation with Russia and China.
"Information warfare is a reality of modern times, and artificial intelligence will only exacerbate the associated threats," Rubin noted.
The Global Engagement Center (GEC) was established in 2011 with the aim of countering terrorist propaganda and violent extremism online. Over time, its scope expanded to include monitoring and exposing disinformation campaigns outside the United States.