As Russia’s war in Ukraine reaches the six-month mark, officials across Europe worry that the Western consensus on supplying arms to Ukraine could crumble amid the very real possibility of an economic downturn. The continent now faces a bleak winter of rising food prices, limited energy to heat homes and a growing fuel crisis. Western officials and diplomats spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity to candidly describe sensitive maintenance between the governments. “In the beginning … it was politically very easy to rally behind Ukraine and support the donation of arms and cash,” a NATO official told CNN. “Over time, the types of weapons we send have become more sophisticated, as has the training required to use them effectively.” “The good news is that these weapons are helping the Ukrainians endure. The bad news is that the longer the war goes on, the shorter the supply of these weapons will be.” War Fatigue: In addition to the economic and military costs, there is also serious concern that war fatigue could affect the contributions of foreign governments as the conflict subsides. “Back in February, it was easy to jump on the anti-Putin bandwagon. Now the war is in the boring strategic stage. There are fewer daily gains and losses and there are fewer photo opportunities,” according to a NATO diplomat. Of course, this won’t be as simple as countries simply withdrawing their support. But it can include countries changing the parameters of the very outcome they support. Endgame change: Some Western European countries, notably Germany and France, have publicly stated that there should be dialogue between the West and Moscow. “Do we all have the same view of the endgame? Do we go back to the borders before Russia invaded? Or do we go back to before 2014, before Russia annexed Crimea? And are we going to deal with Putin after the war or will he have to step down ?” said a European diplomat. “Those are the long-term questions we should be asking, but they’re not. It’s better not to ask those questions now.” Read the full analysis here.
