Western Europe’s willingness to support Ukraine until victory declines

People in Western Europe are divided over how they feel about a peaceful settlement that would leave Russia in control of at least some parts of Ukrainian territories illegally seized since the invasion in February 2022, as reportedly planned by US President-elect Donald Trump.

As reported by European Pravda citing The Guardian, according to the results of a December YouGov survey in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark and the UK, majorities in Sweden (57%), Denmark (53%) and the UK (51%), as well as a significant minority (43%) in Spain, said they would have a very or somewhat negative attitude to such an agreement, compared to only 37% in France and 31% in Germany and Italy.

It is unclear how any deal on Ukraine could be concluded. Last week, Putin reiterated his maximalist goals, including Russian control of Crimea and four occupied Ukrainian oblasts, as well as the demilitarisation of Ukraine and a veto on its NATO membership.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte criticised Western talk of a peace process as premature, saying that Ukraine must get what it needs to stop Putin from winning.

47% of Ukrainians are ready to support Ukraine's accession to NATO if part of the Ukrainian territories remain occupied by Russia.

Also, for the first time, more than half of Poles supported the idea that the war in Ukraine should end, even if it has to give up part of its territory or independence.