Introduction
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 marked a turning point in European politics, prompting major shifts in foreign, security, and economic policies within the European Union (EU). The EU has responded with unprecedented measures, including a wide range of economic sanctions against Russia and military assistance to Ukraine. Meanwhile, the EU has experienced a severe energy crisis which has resulted in exceptionally high inflation and a significant slowdown in economic growth in Europe (EPRS, 2024).
The unfolding of the conflict in Ukraine has deeply affected public opinion and it has presented political parties across Europe with new challenges (Genschel, 2025; Moise and Wang, 2025). This is particularly true of populist parties. Broad public support for Ukraine and EU cooperation has complicated these parties’ traditional rhetoric of national sovereignty, opposition to the EU, sympathy towards Russia, and skepticism vis-à-vis NATO, making them at odds with t...



