Six months since Russia invaded Ukraine, the Western response to the crisis has remained strong and largely united — to the surprise of many. Despite years of strained relations under former US President Donald Trump and the Covid-19 pandemic, the transatlantic alliance has managed to come together and reach agreements on financial support and the donation of arms to Kyiv, agreements to stop the use of Russian energy as well as sanctions designed to hurt President Vladimir Putin and his cronies. But as the crisis nears its six-month anniversary, officials across Europe worry that consensus could crumble as the continent enters a bleak winter of rising food prices, limited energy to heat homes and the real possibility of recession. For the purposes of this article, CNN spoke with several Western officials and diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity. In a possible taste of more draconian measures to come, the German capital Berlin turned off the lights illuminating monuments to save electricity, while French shops were told to keep their doors closed while air conditioning is on or face a fine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has captured the imagination of the West and fired up countries to support his war effort, may struggle to get the attention of fellow European leaders as the conflict drags on. “The challenge for Ukraine is the same as it was on day one: to keep the West on side as the costs of supporting Kiev hit home – not just Putin’s extortion for gas and grain, but the of financial and humanitarian support,” says Keir Giles. , a senior adviser at the Chatham House think tank. “This may well be why Zelensky said he wanted the war to end before Christmas, because the real issues will be whether the West keeps its promises in the long term.” Read the full analysis here.
