Europe Divided by Prolonged Ukraine War: "Let's End the War Quickly" vs "Russia Must Be Punished"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Europe is divided over how to respond to the Ukraine war.

According to an analysis of a public opinion survey of major European countries released on the 14th (local time) by the think tank European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), 35% believe the war should be ended as soon as possible, while 22% prioritize punishing Russia. The undecided accounted for 20%.

As the Ukraine war prolongs, rising energy and grain prices have worsened public opinion on continuing the war.

What draws attention is the difference in attitudes among citizens by country. Countries that want to end the war quickly are mainly well-off Western European countries far from Ukraine. Countries such as Germany (49%), France (41%), Italy (52%), and Sweden (38%) showed high support for ending the war. In contrast, Poland, which shares a border with Ukraine, emphasized punishing Russia, with 41% supporting this view.

The survey was conducted from April 28 to May 11 targeting European Union (EU) countries including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, Romania, Poland, and the United Kingdom.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.