VILNIUS — The United States pressed Canada and European allies to distance themselves from an anti-disinformation conference over a panel examining Washington as an alleged information threat to Europe, according to Reuters.

The October 7–8 conference in Lithuania is organized by EU DisinfoLab, a Brussels-based nonprofit group. Reuters cited three U.S. officials and correspondence it reviewed in reporting that State Department officials contacted Canada, Lithuania and France over several days.

Canadian officials remain at conference

Global Affairs Canada said its officials were still attending but that the department had revised its participation in several sessions after what it described as changes to how the discussions were framed.

Reuters reported that Canada and Lithuania had previously been listed as main supporters of the conference. Lithuania said it withdrew because parts of the program differed from the government’s official position. France remained listed as the principal government supporter.

State Department objects to panel framing

The disputed session was titled “USA as a FIMI threat: acknowledge, adapt, push back,” using an acronym for foreign information manipulation and interference. The program said the panel would examine how the United States became a perceived threat in the European information environment.

The State Department said it could not discuss diplomatic conversations but argued that describing the United States as a disinformation threat undermined shared objectives and should concern participating governments.

EU DisinfoLab’s published program confirms the conference dates and includes sessions on U.S. influence, sanctions, platform accountability and artificial intelligence. The organization did not immediately respond to Reuters after business hours.

Sources: Reuters, October 7; EU DisinfoLab conference program.

Lead image: flag of Canada via Wikimedia Commons; not a photograph of the Vilnius conference or diplomatic discussions.