An expert has delved into the repercussions of the Russian-Ukraine war on the political landscape of Europe, shedding light on the rising tide of skepticism and domestic dissent towards prolonged involvement in the Ukrainian crisis.
In an exclusive interview with the Vaultz News, Dr. Ken Ahorsu, a Senior Research Fellow at the Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD), noted that the world has been in recession for some time now, and the war in Ukraine does not help Western Europe.
“Most of their economies are on the downside, but the big problem for Ukraine is that the war appears to be a senseless war, among the citizens, of Western Europe,” he said.
According to Ahorsu, recent elections, such as those for the European Parliament, reflect a growing sentiment among voters in Western Europe.
He noted that hardline and far-right parties, often critical of immigration and skeptical of using national resources for the conflict in Ukraine, have gained significant ground.
This political shift, Ahorsu argued, underscores a broader disillusionment among domestic populations regarding the Ukrainian conflict and its economic toll.
Also, the Senior Research Fellow asserted that the governments of the day can continue to pledge their support for Ukraine but what they are losing sight of is the fact that the “domestic populations of the countries are becoming wary of the war and the amount of resources which are being spent by their countries on this war.”
He highlighted countries like Hungary, where support for the ongoing conflict is notably lacking.
Looking ahead, Ahorsu speculated on potential domestic unrest within Western countries supporting Ukraine, suggesting that continued public opposition to the war could lead to political upheaval.
“If the war is going to end, it is the backlash that the citizens of the Western world are heaping upon their democratic governments. It’s has been demonstrated in the European Parliament elections whereby they are all becoming anti Ukrainian war and for that matter going against their own governments, but then no government wants to be unpopular.
“Eventually, what will happen is that these governments will be overthrown and the governments that will come into place are these ultra nationalist governments who don’t buy into the idea of going to war with Russia.”
Ken Ahorsu
Nonetheless, stating that Europe is interested in solving its differences, the Senior Research Fellow expressed hope of the ongoing war ending soon.
“Time is the only thing that will tell, but I believe that within 2 years or something of the sort, the war must come to an end but the form it will take is what I do not know,” he said.
Another Form Of Warfare To Be Opened Via Use Of Frozen Russian Assets
Speaking with the Vaultz News, Dr. Ken Ahorsu underscored the potential dangers of utilizing Russian assets to fund the war or rebuild Ukraine, warning of new vulnerabilities in global financial security.
He cited that the IMF has warned that if Russian assets are used either to finance the war or to rebuild Ukraine, a very bad precedence will be set.
“And not only that, from a security perspective, Russia has the ability to take money from western banks through hacking,” He said.
“So it will open another form of warfare. And besides that, Russia will have the right to seize assets of Western countries,” he added.
Ahorsu pointed out that contrary to expectations, Russia’s economy has not collapsed and has even stabilized through strategic alliances with China, challenging Western dominance in global economic dynamics.
“And besides that, China and Russia are becoming closer allies, which the western world doesn’t like. So, from this perspective, there appears to be no winners in the war,” he said.
Ahorsu also addressed the unintended consequences of sanctions, noting that while they initially impacted Russia, they spurred alternative economic strategies such as new oil pipelines to the Middle East and strengthened ties with India and China.
“Russia has now stabilized its economy,” he said
This shift, he cautioned, poses a long-term challenge for Western Europe, altering traditional trade dynamics and fostering a clandestine “war economy” where goods are redirected through black markets to circumvent sanctions.
“An article I was reading the other time says that Russia is actually paying less than during official trade with the west. Because official trade with the west comes with tax and other forms of things, which make these supplies very expensive.
“When you ask international Economists, they will tell you the economy is booming. But the analysis they are making is that, it may not be in the long run.”
Ken Ahorsu
“But in the future, it’s always tentative. You don’t know whether it will grow stronger or not grow stronger,” he opined.
READ ALSO: Israeli War Cabinet Dissolved
