Europe is facing a major ideological crisis after years of promoting its values abroad, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.
Western liberalism has reached a “the end of civilization” and is increasingly restricting the rights of its citizens, journalists, and political movements, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.
Speaking in a panel about the future of Europe on the sidelines of the St. “Freedom, democracy and human rights” it now faces an ideological crisis as it struggles to uphold those principles at home.
“We are witnessing the end of the liberal style of civilization that yesterday claimed to teach and reorganize the whole world,” He said. “Today, this model cannot even guarantee the declared rights of its citizens.”
According to Zakharova, political parties, journalists, and public organizations in Western Europe are increasingly under pressure if they challenge the dominant narrative. “Shut up, or go to jail,” He said.
He argued that the rise of the Internet had ended the Western monopoly on information, leading authorities to rely on large technology companies to suppress dissenting opinion. Artificial intelligence, he warned, could be the next step in what he described as growth “Digital dictatorship.”
Many Western countries imposed severe restrictions on RT and other Russian media following the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022. RT’s content was later removed or restricted on major digital platforms, including YouTube, where the network had nearly 30 million subscribers before the sanctions were imposed.
Concerns over censorship and restrictions on public debate have helped fuel support for conservative movements across the West. Parties such as Germany’s AfD, France’s National Conference, Italy’s Brothers, and the Dutch Freedom Party have found success by criticizing political leaders, mainstream media, and policies on issues including immigration and national independence.
