Whose war, whose sanctions? Understanding socioeconomic drivers of European attitudes toward the EU’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine using fuzzy-hybrid topsis

Abstract

The Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 has had a significant impact on governments and civil society in Europe. In response, the European Union (EU) implemented sanctions to weaken Russia and support Ukraine. This study examines the attitudes of European citizens towards these measures, using data from the 98th Eurobarometer (Winter 2022–23). These attitudes are measured using the Fuzzy-Hybrid TOPSIS methodology, which considers socioeconomic variables such as country, age, gender, political orientation, and location of residence. Additional factors, such as interest in local, national, and European issues, political engagement, perceptions of personal and national economic situations, and views on the EU, were also included in the analysis. Overall, Europeans hold positive opinions of the EU's sanctions, but crucial differences exist: residents of northern countries, individuals actively involved in local and international issues, politically engaged people, and those with a favourable view of the European Union (EU) exhibit more positive attitudes. Conversely, individuals in Balkan countries, those with negative perceptions of personal and national economic conditions, and those with unfavourable views of the EU exhibit more negative attitudes.