Speaking with a French business owner in the energy industry this fall, I asked whether he thought NATO’s full support for Ukraine in its war against Russia would wane or fracture this winter. He replied matter-of-factly, “It depends on how cold it gets.”
That’s unnerving. Russian President Vladimir Putin is clearly hoping a shortage of oil and gas caused by his war of choice against Ukraine will erode support in Europe for Ukrainians as high heating costs challenge people here trying to wean themselves off Russian energy supplies.
With Putin’s unprovoked, brutal, criminal war dragging into its ninth month, NATO’s resolve may be tested as never before by the impact of winter and soaring fuel prices. Europeans are already concerned about troubling signs that America’s resolve could weaken as voters head into volatile midterm elections. That would be tragic.
