EU to ban Russia’s RT, Sputnik media outlets, von der Leyen says

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Sunday that Kremlin-backed RT, formerly known as Russia Today, and Sputnik, would be banned in the EU.

"We will ban the Kremlin’s media machine in the EU. The state-owned Russia Today and Sputnik, and their subsidiaries, will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin’s war," she said.

"We are developing tools to ban their toxic and harmful disinformation in Europe," von der Leyen added, without providing more details.

Kremlin-backed media have been under increased pressure in Europe since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. Poland and Estonia regulators have in recent days banned Russian TV broadcasters while Western countries including the U.K. and France have renewed scrutiny on RT. The power to shut down broadcasters is in the hands of national regulators.

In recent weeks, a massive information war unfolded both online and offline between Kremlin-backed news outlets and online trolls and media and actors both in Ukraine and across the West. According to French public radio France Inter, RT France's coverage of Ukraine was obviously one-sided and biased toward the Russian government.

Russia could decide to retaliate after the Commission president's statement: When Germany banned RT Deutsch in early February, Moscow forced German media outlet Deutsche Welle to shut down its Russian operations.

Von der Leyen's comments come hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his nuclear forces on high alert, after complaining about the West’s response to the Ukraine invasion.

French Digital Affairs Junior Minister Cédric O welcomed von der Leyen's statement. France currently holds the EU Council's rotating presidency.