Russian President Vladimir Putin is betting that the EU's united response to his invasion of Ukraine will fail as skyrocketing prices hit the wallets of European voters. This was stated by the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, in an interview with AFP.
According to Borrell, Putin sees "the fatigue of Europeans and the reluctance of their citizens to bear the consequences of supporting Ukraine."
"We will have to be patient, share the costs within the EU," Borrell said, warning that keeping the 27 member states together was a task that had to be done "day by day."
Borrell's job is to maintain a united front, which Brussels believes has been its trump card after Moscow's attempts to try to divide the allies.
"We must not forget that the European Union is a union of states that have different approaches to Russia," he said.
At a meeting of EU foreign ministers next week, Borrell will propose the creation of an EU military training mission for Ukrainian forces, similar to the one supported by Britain and Canada.
"We must provide Ukraine with support that goes beyond supplying weapons. When faced with someone who refuses to stop the war, we must be able to stand up," he said.
"Vladimir Putin remains inflexible. We must continue the pressure through sanctions and strengthen Ukrainian forces," Borrell said.
