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Putins propaganda machine is fighting a desperate PR battleat home and abroadfor control of the narrative of its war against Ukraine. The Republican victory in the U.S. midterms has consolidated Americas anti-Russian narrative as evidenced by the Senates passage of the Ukraine Freedom Support Act, which supplies lethal weapons to Ukraine. Even more ominous is the findings of the Levada Center that only 5-6 percent of Russians are prepared to sacrifice for Putins Ukraine ventures. Russians say, if anyone is to shoulder a burden, it should be Putin and company. These setbacks make the battle for German public opinion even more crucial, a battle that is now being conducted on the front pages of the German press.

The two open letters to the German public

Two open letters to the public capture the intense battle for Germanys dominant narrative of Russias War on Ukraine.

The first, entitled Another War in Europe? Not in our Name argues that another European war must be avoided at all costs, that Russia is defending its legitimate interests, that the media must be neutral, and that the hostilities in Ukraine go deeper than Putins leadership. The Not in Our Name letter was signed by sixty prominent Germans, from the fields of theology, politicsGerhard Schroeder, Roman Herzog, and other prominent Social Democrats and members of Die Linke party; industryEckhard Cordes, Stefan Duerr; the artsWim Wenders, Hanna Schygulla, Klaus Maria Brandauer; and one bio farmer.

The second open letter, entitled Secure Peace, Do Not Reward Expansionism argues that Putins Russia is the clear aggressor against Ukraine, that Russia has violated past agreements in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, that Russias media has defamed the Ukrainian people (who bore the brunt of World War II losses), and that the territorial integrity of Ukraine (and Georgia and Moldova) should not be sacrificed to the level-headedness of German policy towards Russia. The Do Not Reward Expansionism letter was signed by one hundred top academics from Germanys fabled universities and by foreign correspondents specializing in Russia and Ukraine.

Not in Our Name blends moral relativism with peace at any price

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Do Not Reward Expansionism combines clear Russian guilt with German historical responsibility

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Why the media offensive of Putin allies?

The rest is here:
The Battle For German Public Opinion: The Russia/Ukraine Narrative