Just six months after the start of the Russian invasion, the democratic world is supporting Ukraine in its self-defense, and is also trying to punish Vladimir Putin and his henchmen.. However, all these efforts have not yet stopped the bloodshed.. And a Russian autocrat is betting that Western unity will break in the winter when Europeans feel uncomfortable over food and energy prices..

To prove Putin wrong, Europe's leaders need to prepare their societies for a long-term war, as well as increase support for those who will find it hardest to weather the consequences.. Bloomberg wrote about it in an editorial.. In the US and Europe, overwhelming majority support efforts to help Ukraine stand against Putin's aggression. But as the war drags on, this position may be shaken.. In May, polls conducted in 10 European countries found that 42% of respondents were dissatisfied with their governments' too much attention to Ukraine.. They would like the authorities to deal more with domestic problems. In Romania and Poland, the number of such people has exceeded 50%.

The rise in living costs and fuel prices is the main consequence of the war, worrying Europeans at the level with the potential use of nuclear weapons.. In Germany, a Forsa survey in July found that less than a third of Germans support a boycott of Russian gas.. Although six weeks earlier such a step was considered correct by 44% of respondents in the country.

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To combat war fatigue, European leaders must more clearly define their goals in Ukraine.. Of course, the priorities of individual governments will differ.. However, there should be broad consensus on some key goals. These include defending Ukraine's democratically elected leadership and the country's right to self-determination, holding Russian troops accountable for war crimes, avoiding any truce that would leave Ukraine vulnerable to renewed Russian aggression.. At a minimum, Europe needs to maintain current sanctions against the Kremlin and continue to provide economic assistance to Kyiv in the coming months..

Credit must be given to European leaders who have so far rejected any relaxation of sanctions against Russia.. But they need to respond to society's fatigue. Politicians should emphasize that assistance to Ukraine is in the interests of the Europeans themselves. Because if Putin is allowed to win, it will give confidence not only to Putin, but also to other autocrats with revanchist ambitions..

We also need to fight Russian disinformation about the alleged “defeats” of Western politics.. European governments better highlight their successes, including the weakening of the Russian economy, the suppression of Putin's attempts to oust Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and replace him with a "

It is equally important that Western governments speak honestly about the potential pain that lies ahead for their citizens.. The impact on income across countries has been uneven. But the IMF has calculated that, on average, the cost of living in Europe rose by 7% of consumption in 2022.. Russia cuts off gas supplies to the continent, and this does not improve the situation.

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So the Europeans are waiting for a difficult winter. UK braces for staged power outages. Even though everyone will suffer, governments must help those most at risk.. Targeted financial support for the poor is more effective than tax cuts and price controls. Such measures will not encourage the family to reduce consumption or invest in energy efficiency..

But most importantly, European leaders must call for patience. The solidarity of Western societies raised the morale of Ukraine and helped its army to withstand the massacre that Russia staged. But the battle for the freedom of the country will not end soon..