How much is Russia suffering from the war it started against Ukraine in 2014 and intensified in 2022, when it attempted to invade the country? It is difficult to answer this question, as the indicators are fragmented, the presence of journalists monitored and the opponents muzzled. As our correspondent in Moscow tells us, the hardening of the Russian regime is such that it now seeks to forget the great purges organized by Stalin to silence all counter-power.
Certainly, Vladimir Putin does not seem, at this stage, weakened. His popularity remains strong, his electoral base seems solid. A few months before the legislative elections, which must be held in September, it is likely that its allies will once again be brought to Parliament. However, the war launched against Ukraine – and through this country against the whole of Europe – is now permanently weakening the Russian economy, also threatened by a banking crisis.
Faced with a Russian regime that wants to weaken them, Europeans and their allies can no longer procrastinate. They must help Ukraine increase pressure on Vladimir Putin. Financial sanctions, energy measures: several tools are at their disposal. This is why the leaders of the Old Continent must speak with one voice; the time is no longer for internal divisions. In France, the candidates for next year’s presidential election, currently preoccupied only with national debates, must also broaden their perspective. It is on this ground, that of a balance of power with Russia, which we must hope will not have to materialize through the clash of arms, that the future of our continent, and with it, of our country, is at stake.
