After almost a year of war, Europe is very attentive to citizen fatigue due to a conflict with an uncertain outcome

The more intense and prolonged the war triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the more problems arise, not only for the attacked country, but for Europe, UNITED STATES and maybe everything West. A few days after a year of conflict, the support of public opinion becomes crucial to imagine what the future scenarios of an event that moves the world may be.

Measuring social mood helps gauge the impact that can affect the intensity, duration, and geographic extent of conflict. Almost twelve months after the fighting began, Ukraine continues to enjoy great popularity in Europe, although there are visible signs of fatigue.

According to a survey published by the newspaper Le Figaroprepared by the firm Ifopthere “good opinion” of Ukraine oscillates between 61% in Germany there 82% in the UKwhile conversely, the Russian popularity only affects, at best, the 23% of the Italian population and only goes down to 9 percentage points in Poland.

The polls are being taken even though the dreaded catastrophe announced for the European economy has not occurred. However, the region was hit hard, followed by the setback caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but not the dreaded collapse in early 2022.

At the start of the Russian aggression, gas prices reached historic highs, triggering new anger: a inflation forgotten by Europeans. Although Europe has escaped recession, the European productive apparatus is going through a period of stagnation: growth of 0.1% in the euro zone in the fourth quarter of 2022 and zero for the whole of the European Union (EU).

While the Ukrainian President, Volodimir Zelenskydemands more powerful weapons, for defense and counterattack, governments are divided between those who want to increase weapons support (London there Warsaw)and the league of those who believe it is time to take the paths to a negotiation (Paris, Berlin there Rome). The position of the two countries that want to provide more war material are at the same time the nations where the populations are resolutely turned towards Ukraine.

However, European public opinion is beginning to feel the gradual erosion of the effects of the conflict. In France there Germanydemonstrates the work commissioned and published by the French newspaper, popularity has recorded a significant and steady decline from 82% to 64% in the hexagon and from 80% to 61% across the Rhine. Ifop, the head of the survey, has carried out four surveys since February 2022.

This panorama is also found in Italy with a good opinion, dropping from 80% to 62%. Attrition is less marked in Poland, from 91% to 79% today, and in Spain, from 80% to 74% today.

Measured was also the support for the Economic sanctions imposed on Russia. It is on this subject that there is a solid commitment from the Europeans. Again, Poland has 86% approval and the UK 77%, followed by Spain (77%) and the Netherlands (73%). France, Italy, France and Germany show that 6 out of 10 citizens support the measures directed from Brussels.

However, where a crack begins to appear is in the consensus for the supply of weapons. The division is again between two axes: London there warsawcountries that advocate greater war support and Paris, Berlin there Rome who seek to dissipate any excess justifying the prolongation of the war.

The book maintains that in Poland 80% approve of the delivery of arms to Ukraine, followed by the British (70%), the Dutch (67%) and the Spaniards (60%). In contrast are the French (54%), the Germans (54%) and the Italians (49%). But the figures change when it comes to sending heavy weapons: a drop in the commitment to deliver military equipment by 8 and 11 points is recorded in Italy and Poland, respectively. The proximity of the conflict also explains the reaction of the citizens of each country.

Finally, the patronage or not for Ukraine’s candidacy for the European Union (EU) It has its differentials. Again, the Poles are leading with 82% of support, the British continue with 80%, while across the Channel the Spaniards garner 79% of the will, and the Netherlands 64% and Italy the 63 percent.

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