@jkobzova.bsky.social
Co-director, European Security Programme @ European Council on Foreign Relations @ecfr.eu, previously foreign policy advisor to Slovakia's President Caputova.
@jkobzova.bsky.social4/ “When the special military operation was mentioned, I first thought—‘What?!’ But then I realised that it is as if it does not exist. It is buried so deep that you do not allow yourself to think about it”, says one. All her fellow participants agree.
@jkobzova.bsky.social3/ “People have become quiet, sad and very hostile”, comments one on the impact of the war. “It is hard to understand what kind of future we can have after this.” In most focus groups at least one person held pronounced anti-war views, their views diverging from the mainstream.
@jkobzova.bsky.social2/ “In #Europe, they all believe that it was Putin who started the war and that we are the ones to blame for everything.”
Similar statements were not as rare as some might think. Many complaints about Western sanctions having bad effect -- but no debate about their real cause.
@jkobzova.bsky.social