One year after the invasion of Ukraine, the Russian narrative is starting to make inroads in the West and, among European countries, it is Italy that is seriously considering Moscow's reasons for reaching an agreement that also provides for territorial concessions from part of Kiev. This for keep Russia hooked on Europe as an indispensable partner both politically and economically.
These are the surprising results (but up to a certain point) obtained from the latest survey carried out on behalf of the Think Tank European Council on Foreign Relations (in Italy directed by the researcher Arturo Varvelli) on the basis of questions developed by Timoyhy Garton Ash, Ivan Krastev and Mark Leonard on a sample of about 20 thousand interviewed directly or online.
Russia: the European Council survey investigates the opinions of Europeans and Italians
2 interviews were carried out respectively in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, 1500 in Italy and Poland, 1000 in Denmark, Estonia, Portugal, Romania and Spain, 1300 in India, 1000 in China, the United States and Turkey and 800 in Russia. Survey title: The West united, divided from the rest. Global public opinion one year after the war in Ukraine.
Russia: for many Italians it is an indispensable partner
Of some interest the answers of the sample made in Italy which reflects the main differences between geographical areas of the country, social strata and levels of education. Although 53% of respondents in our country believe that Russia should consider itself an adversary with whom we are currently in conflict (32% see the United States as a necessary partner), 20%, the highest percentage among EU countries , believes that Russia still remains an indispensable partner with whom “we must cooperate strategically”. In France this percentage is 18% and in Romania 15%. Then there is also in Italy (as well as in Romania) a percentage of 4% of the interviewees who consider even Russia not an adversary but an ally with which common interests and values must be shared.
More generally, the Italian interviewees show a certain fatigue from the Ukrainian crisis which no end can be seen. Indeed, the highest percentage among EU countries (41%) according to which the conflict between Russia and Ukraine must end as soon as possible is Italian, even if this means that Kiev will have to make territorial concessions to Russia.
The highest percentage among Europeans according to which the main reason why the United States supports Ukraine must be sought more in the defense of Western hegemony than in the defense of democracy or of Ukrainian territorial integrity (in the latter two cases the Italian percentage of 10% is the lowest.
Finally, the Italians believe that Russia is and still remains a Military strong country while as regards energy supplies, Italy is in line with the other European countries in considering the need to secure alternative supplies while avoiding, as far as possible, increasing dependence on Russia.
