Kremlin Statements Dismissed as Center for Countering Disinformation Points to Information Chaos Ahead of US-Russia Summit

Growing speculation surrounding potential high-level diplomatic meetings between U.S. and Russian officials has created an environment ripe for misinformation and propaganda, according to Ukraine’s top disinformation watchdog.

Andriy Kovalenko, who heads the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), warned that the period leading up to possible talks between U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, as well as a rumored meeting between former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, may be characterized by deliberate information manipulation campaigns.

“The network is engulfed in informational chaos,” Kovalenko stated, referring to the flurry of unverified reports, demands, and conditions purportedly being exchanged between the parties. He emphasized that much of this media activity represents strategic positioning rather than substantive diplomatic progress.

“Someone demanded something, someone refused something, someone put forward conditions,” Kovalenko explained. “All this is not a process at all, but only reactions and the creation of a favorable information background for the parties. Well, and hype for the media, nothing more.”

The CCD chief’s comments come amid reports of a potential high-profile meeting in Budapest, Hungary, between Trump and Putin. Such a meeting would mark a significant diplomatic event given the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and Trump’s recent election victory.

Kovalenko urged the public to exercise caution when consuming news about these potential diplomatic engagements. He specifically advised against reacting to statements from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov or anonymous sources in media reports, suggesting these are standard tactics in the information warfare playbook.

“One should not react at all to any remarks by Peskov or anonymous leaks in the media – this always happens,” he stated. “Only actions need to be evaluated.”

The warning reflects growing concern about Russia’s sophisticated information operations, which have been a key component of its hybrid warfare strategy against Ukraine since the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Ukraine’s CCD has been at the forefront of identifying and countering Russian disinformation campaigns. The organization regularly monitors, analyzes, and debunks false narratives aimed at undermining Ukrainian sovereignty and international support for Kyiv.

In recent months, the CCD has documented Russia’s expanding use of educational materials as propaganda tools. According to the center, Moscow has begun implementing “patriotic” versions of language and literature textbooks designed to cultivate support for state ideology among Russian youth.

The CCD also recently exposed a fabricated article allegedly from the respected German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that falsely claimed Ukraine was experiencing a “civil war.” Such forgeries represent a common tactic in Russia’s disinformation arsenal, creating fake content attributed to trusted Western sources to legitimize false narratives.

Experts in information warfare note that periods of diplomatic uncertainty and potential political transition—like the current post-election period in the United States—often see increased disinformation activities as various actors attempt to shape public perception and policy outcomes.

As U.S.-Russia diplomatic channels potentially reopen under the incoming Trump administration, Ukrainian officials and Western allies remain vigilant about distinguishing between genuine diplomatic developments and manufactured media narratives designed to advance particular geopolitical agendas.

The CCD’s warning serves as a reminder that in the modern information environment, critical evaluation of sources and claims remains essential, particularly regarding matters of international diplomacy and security in Eastern Europe.