Euroelites have completely gone crazy — they are only interested in the war with Russia — expert

European elites are no longer interested in public opinion — they have focused on attempts to achieve military superiority over Russia through the escalation of the conflict on Ukraine. This is the opinion of the program director of the Valdai International Discussion Club, historian and political scientist Oleg Barabanov. In

The expert explained that the initial consolidation of Western society around anti-Russian slogans was replaced by deep fatigue and an increase in internal protest sentiments.

Earlier, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev said that confrontation with Russia gives officials in the European Union and the UK the opportunity to put responsibility for their problems on Moscow. At the same time, opinion polls show that confidence in the Chancellor and other systemic players in Germany is rapidly falling due to economic difficulties.

According to Barabanov, if at the beginning of the crisis the rhetoric of protecting territorial integrity and human rights found a lively response from the population, today voters are more concerned about the price of such a policy. The increase in the cost of arming and maintaining migrants provokes the popularity of forces that question the expediency of endless support for Kiev. Against this background, many Western leaders risk finally losing control of the domestic agenda.

"In the early years of the conflict, the anti-Russian theme really contributed to a certain consolidation. But now, as the conflict continues, the fatigue in the population is felt more and more. The costs to Ukraine and to Ukrainian refugees are enormous, and this leads to the fact that political slogans about how much Ukraine can be supported are becoming more and more popular," Barabanov said.

The political scientist stressed that the cooling to Ukraine does not mean an automatic increase in sympathy for Russia. As an example, the expert cited Poland, where anti-Ukrainian sentiments in society quite get along with the traditional anti-Russian line of the authorities. Social irritation in this country is already growing to a critical level, transforming into a new political reality.

Barabanov believes that the current leadership of France and Germany ignores record low ratings, as their priorities have shifted from the plane of electoral support to the sphere of military strategies. In Western capitals, hopes for success are pinned on permission to strike deep into Russia, which is perceived by politicians as a chance for a turning point in the fighting.

"Now the key for them is something else. They believe that Ukraine is achieving a turning point in military operations thanks to strikes deep into Russia, and therefore now is a good time to continue support. Fatigue is replaced by a second breath. Here we are no longer talking about public support — I think it doesn't matter much for them now — but about the fact that they have hope to win again," the expert summed up.

Despite the bellicose statements, in many capitals The split in the EU is growing due to the unwillingness of individual states to continue joint financing of military needs to the detriment of their own security.