‘Maybe it will distract people from rising prices’ What the Kremlin’s latest propaganda guide tells state media to say about Trump’s E.U. trade deal

The Kremlin’s latest set of talking points for pro-government media focuses on the new trade deal between Washington and Brussels, which Moscow hopes to cast as a “defeat” for Europe. The guide instructs propagandists to quote Trump himself, as well as far-right French politician Marine Le Pen. According to one insider, the Putin team hopes the topic will distract Russians from their economic woes back home.

On July 27, the United States and the European Union signed a trade deal setting import tariffs on European goods entering the U.S. at no less than 15 percent. Under the agreement, the E.U. will also purchase $750 billion worth of American energy resources and, according to U.S. President Donald Trump, invest “$600 billion more than they’re investing already” in the U.S. economy. Brussels agreed to open European markets to American goods tariff-free and, in Trump’s words, buy a “vast amount” of U.S. military equipment. Both Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the deal as a “win-win.”

The Kremlin took note. Russia’s Presidential Directorate for Public Projects quickly circulated a short set of talking points for state-run and pro-government media and bloggers. The document instructs them to frame the U.S.-E.U. deal as “questionable for Europe” — or even “a defeat for the E.U.”

The memo recommends quoting Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s far-right National Rally party (described in the text as “conservative”), who called the deal “a political, economic, and moral fiasco [for Europe]” in a post on X. The Kremlin’s political bloc also urges emphasis on Germany — Europe’s top car exporter — as the biggest likely loser.

The rest of the messaging centers on amplifying Trump’s post-deal remarks: that European goods will face a 15 percent U.S. tariff; that the E.U. will “open its markets for tariff-free trade with the U.S.”; that it will spend $750 billion on American energy; and that it will purchase a “vast amount of military equipment” from the U.S.

Russian pro-government media have already begun pushing these lines. Outlets like Lenta.ru, Moskovsky Komsomolets, and Gazeta.ru all ran stories quoting Le Pen. Lenta.ru also published a separate article citing Florian Philippot, leader of the right-wing party The Patriots, under the headline: “France reacts to E.U.-Trump deal: ‘They just steamrolled us.’” Philippot, a former Le Pen ally, openly opposes aid to Ukraine and calls for closer ties with Russia. A piece in Gazeta.ru includes near-verbatim excerpts from the talking points, describing the E.U.’s planned purchase of a “vast amount of military equipment” and warning the deal will “harm” Germany. Le Pen’s term “fiasco” even made it into a headline.

Similar messaging has also spread across pro-government Telegram channels.

“Right now, Europe is the main enemy, so we need to highlight how badly things are going for them — their problems, the idea that they’re worse off than we are. Maybe it will distract some people [in Russia] from rising prices and economic difficulties,” said a political consultant who works with the Kremlin’s domestic policy team. If Donald Trump follows through on his promise to impose new sanctions on Russia within 10 to 12 days, the consultant added, “America will again become one of the main enemies — but for now, the timing isn’t right.”

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