The United States has influenced the decision of Lithuania, Canada, and the European Union to withdraw official support from the #Disinfo2026 conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, following concerns over a panel discussing the U.S. as a potential source of foreign information manipulation. The conference, scheduled for October 7 and 8, aims to bring together experts to tackle disinformation and information manipulation.
In the days leading up to the conference, the logos of Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry, Canada’s Global Affairs department, and the European External Action Service were removed from the event’s list of supporters. This move occurred after U.S. officials engaged with these governments regarding their involvement. Internal U.S. documents reportedly indicated approval of Lithuania’s decision to scale back its participation.
Lithuania cited discrepancies between the conference program and its official stance as the reason for its withdrawal. Canada adjusted its participation based on changes to the framing of certain panel discussions, although Canadian officials continued to attend the event. Similarly, the EU pulled its official support, stating that some discussions did not align with its positions, yet it maintained financial support for the conference.
A contentious issue was the panel examining the U.S. as a potential threat of foreign information manipulation, which highlighted differences in how Western governments perceive threats and handle international criticism. The panel aimed to explore ways European organizations could bolster their defense against information threats independently.
France maintained its support for the conference, emphasizing the importance of engaging with civil society to develop robust European disinformation policies. The situation underscores growing disagreements among Western nations regarding the definition and response to foreign information threats.