Hryhoriy Mesezhnikov: Putin’s hopes for the business as usual with the West, failed

02.05.2024, 13:44 newssky.com.ua

Hryhoriy Mesezhnikov

The Russo-Ukrainian war changed life not only in Ukraine. Hryhoriy Mesezhnikov, president of the Institute of Public Affairs in Slovakia, expressed his opinion to the Newssky correspondent about how, in his opinion, two years of Russian aggression against Ukraine affected the social life and economy of Western countries.

Two years of Russia’s war against Ukraine have influenced Western countries in some new ways. Finally, the Western society realized who and what it was dealing with. The fact that the West treated Russia with a certain trust, trying to promote profitable business projects, is a thing of the past. After all, the West understood that Russia was an enemy, and it was impossible to negotiate with it. Of course, there are forces in the West that are fed and supported by Russia. They are trying to convince the Western political elite that Russia is a good partner, and everything that is happening now will be over sometime, and it will be possible to do business with Russia as and earlier.

Have Western societies realized what trouble Russia is bringing?

The majority of the Western elite and the population of the West (this applies mostly to Western Europe and America) have understood that currently it is necessary to strengthen the defense capability, to rearm the military. Finland and Sweden joined NATO. NATO is currently much stronger than before the Russian aggression against Ukraine. The West introduced sanctions against Russia. Yes, unfortunately, they are not very effective.

Instead, all the forecasts were based on the fact that the West will almost certainly suffer an economic defeat when it imposes anti-Russian sanctions, proved void. Without the energy resources that Russia has, the West will not be able to do anything, and will not have economic development that brings great profits. But no!

It turned out that everything was possible. The West has reduced the supply of energy carriers from Russia, and I am convinced that in the end, it will fully distance itself from Russia in this sense.

Since recently, we often hear about war fatigue…

Yes, Russian aggression brought great suffering to Ukraine. The Western world supports Ukraine politically. Regarding war fatigue… There is no real fatigue, but only the impact of Russian propaganda or the opportunism of Western politicians.

The fact that aid slowed down has internal political reasons.

Fortunately, Europe is currently trying to take the lead in helping Ukraine.

This is not enough at the moment, but, on the contrary, the West has not turned its back on Ukraine, and Putin’s hopes that the Western world will continue to cooperate with Russia as if nothing had happened have not come true.

Maryna Kovalchuk, deputy editor-in-chief (Central Europe and Canada), and head of the V5 Media project, contributed

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