EditFighting disinformation is an uphill battle, especially when EU leaders forget to check the facts
From teenage “geniuses” to presidential pardons and diplomatic own-goals - how Brussels’ own verification failures keep undermining its war on disinformation
In the grand European crusade against disinformation, one truth stands out with embarrassing clarity: the biggest vulnerability isn’t Russian bots or Chinese influence operations. It’s the eager willingness of administrations, media, and leaders to swallow convenient stories without bothering to verify them.
Our reporting at EUalive.net keeps exposing this pattern, and the latest example – starring the EU’s very own anti-disinformation czar – is the perfect capstone.
Take Poland earlier this year. A 17-year-old from Gdynia was hailed as the next Marie Curie: biodegradable fertilizers, dermatology apps, stem-cell breakthroughs, even mouse surgery at a prestigious Dutch institute. President Karol Nawrocki pinned the Silver Cross of Merit on her in a grand ceremony. TIME magazine put her on a “Girls of the Year” list. Forbes Poland swooned. State media cheered. It was a patriotic feel-good blockbuster – until ordinary Poles on Reddit and Wykop.pl did what institutions wouldn’t: a five-minute Google Scholar search and a phone call to the Netherlands. Turns out most of it was inflated school projects and creative CV writing. No publications, no patents, no lab coat miracles. The institutions that amplified the tale went quiet. Pride had disarmed scrutiny.
The very next day, Italy offered a sequel. President Sergio Mattarella granted humanitarian clemency to Nicole Minetti – a figure from Berlusconi’s old “Ruby” scandal – so she could care for a severely ill adoptive child. The paperwork looked solid, around 50 pages. Mattarella signed. Then investigative journalists discovered the documents were riddled with falsehoods. The child’s backstory didn’t match the humanitarian pitch. The state machine had skipped basic cross-checks with Uruguayan records. The President ended up ordering urgent verification of his own decree. Even the Quirinale can trip when gatekeeping feels optional.
These cases reveal the real threat to democracy: not foreign fake news, but domestic laziness dressed up as enthusiasm. When a narrative flatters national pride, political convenience, or institutional self-image, critical thinking takes a holiday.
And then came the drop that made the glass overflow: Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and the EU’s self-appointed queen of the anti-disinformation fight.
On 28 May, fresh from reports of Russian threats against Kyiv, Kallas told reporters that while all European embassies stayed put, “America left.” It was a neat jab implying greater European courage. Except it wasn’t true. The US Embassy was open and operating. The claim stemmed from a misinterpretation of social media chatter and unverified briefings. Washington and Kyiv quickly pushed back. Brussels issued a correction and called it a “misunderstanding.” The anti-disinfo champion had fallen for the very thing she lectures everyone else about.
EU signals resolve as Kallas highlights U.S. diplomats’ “departure” from Kyiv amid Russian threats
The irony writes itself. Here is the EU’s top diplomat, who delivers stern speeches about foreign information manipulation, AI deepfakes, and the need for vigilance, casually repeating an unverified claim that needlessly strained relations with America – Europe’s (still) most important ally. If Brussels can’t get basic facts straight on something as checkable as an embassy’s status, why should anyone trust its grand pronouncements on disinformation?
This isn’t about one gaffe. It’s a pattern. Convenient narratives disarm critical scrutiny across the EU, whether they involve teenage geniuses, humanitarian pardons, or transatlantic score-settling. Leaders and officials love to lecture citizens and member states about media literacy and fact-checking. Perhaps they should start by applying the same standards in their own offices.
If the EU is serious about fighting disinformation, the first target should be its own house. Before pointing fingers outward, try verifying inward. A little humility – and a functioning verification process – would do wonders for credibility. Otherwise, the next embarrassment won’t just be awkward. For some it will be laughable. For the EU it could be disastrous.
Caption: Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas speaks to the media before the Gymnich Meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers at the port in Limassol, Cyprus, 28 May, 2026. The Foreign Ministers they will discuss current regional issues, including security and defense. EPA/George Christophorou
Updated: May 30, 2026 - 13:29
