“Let’s Get Out Of NATO”: Discontent Soars Across Europe As Russian Sanctions Backfire

Western sanctions against Russia have been considered a powerful foreign policy tool by the US and the EU to paralyze Moscow back to the ‘stone age.’ Though sanctions against Moscow have entirely backfired, sparking the worst cost-of-living crisis for Europeans in a generation. 

In early September, we first noticed a wave of discontent sweeping across Europe as tens of thousands of people took to the city streets to protest soaring electricity bills and the worst inflation in decades. Some countries delivered relief packages to citizens to tame the anger, while other countries did not have the financial capacity to hand out checks. 

Tens of thousands of people have marched across metro areas in France, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Germany — many of them are fed up with sanctions on Russia that have sparked economic ruins for many households and businesses — but also very surprising, support for NATO’s involvement in Ukraine is waning. 

There has been increasing awareness and dissent among Europeans about their countries’ leaders prioritizing NATO’s ambitions in Ukraine over their own citizens. The prioritization has been in the form of sanctions against Moscow, sparking energy hyperinflation and supplying weapons to Ukraine, which has made Moscow displeased with any country that does so. Some Europeans are now demanding NATO negotiate with Moscow to end the war so that economic turmoil can abate. 

Here are the latest protests across Europe of tens of thousands of people (if not more) frustrated with high inflation and crying out anti-NATO slogans. 

Otra multitudinaria Manifestación sucedió hoy en Francia 🇫🇷.
“Let’s get out of NATO!”

Another massive protest against NATO and the EU on the streets of Paris, France today. pic.twitter.com/1CRwhzBhzx

— Joel la Rosa (@Pedrola51624238) October 23, 2022

Another massive #protest against #NATO and the #EU on the streets of #Paris, France today. #MSM pretend it didn’t happen. pic.twitter.com/XPHqKRve5V

— Axel Le Reer (@AxelLeReer) October 22, 2022

Mass protests continue in #Moldova calling for the removal of the pro-EU regime of Maya Sandu.

The Western media has completely blacked out these mass protests in Moldova. They are peddling the CIA nonsense instead blaming Russia for this. pic.twitter.com/kpvPQEk0aZ

— UkraineNews (@Ukraine66251776) October 28, 2022

On October 28, local time, Czech people took to the streets to protest and demonstrate, advocating to withdraw from the European Union and #NATO: “Russia is not our enemy, the belligerent Czech government is” slogan!#Russia #Ukraine #NEWS #新闻 #World #UN #Asia #Europe #EU pic.twitter.com/0ihSnJJLuN

— China-News (@China_News12) October 29, 2022

Mass protest in Prague, for Peace, elections and the right not to freeze for NATO. https://t.co/4SuAfzHnvz

— Caractacus Mann (@CaractacusMann) October 29, 2022

🧵Thread of protests that are erupting all over Europe against EU, NATO, inflation, politicians, governmental control, arm sales, etc about which mainstream media is completely silent 🧵 pic.twitter.com/U8BK2veelm

— mohamed.emam (@mohamed42811653) October 26, 2022

Thousands of Germans in Dresden to end sanctions on Russia, they want to remain neutral. Europeans don’t want to starve and freeze for Zelensky and Ursula von der Leyen. EU media censor these demonstrations, they want war. pic.twitter.com/Lio07Yx8NG

— RadioGenova (@RadioGenova) October 30, 2022

Post by Juan Sinmiedo on telegram. Rome, Italian’s protest Nato and their sanctions on Russia pic.twitter.com/sWUxnbGN0B

— Monet Van Gough (@GoughMonet) October 30, 2022

Germany 🇩🇪 HAMBURG Peace and Freedom Demonstration 🔥🔥🔥 in Protest against the Governments Restrictions, Mandates, Anti-NATO, Inflations cost of Living and Energy (29/10/2022) pic.twitter.com/EMcEruW9Ww

— Holy Troller (@IscoPar5) October 29, 2022

WSJ pointed out that a majority of Germans strongly support Kyiv and Russia policy of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government, though the popularity of the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has been increasing as they benefited from the souring mood of the people who have been crushed into energy poverty. AfD has called for the lift of sanctions against Russia. Their popularity has risen from 10% to 15% in 9 months. 

“This is merely the silence before the storm—the discontent is great, and people do not have any sense that the government has a plausible strategy to master the crisis,” said Manfred Güllner, head of Forsa, a pollster.

Worse, the sanctions have sparked a further weakening of the economy where a recession might not be avoided this winter. Efforts by the European Central Bank to rapidly tighten its monetary policy and increase interest rates to quell inflation also have their risks. 

We recently penned two pieces, the first “”Worst Has Yet To Come”: Civil Unrest Set To Surge Worldwide As Socioeconomic Pressure Builds, Report Warns” and “IEA Head Warns “Wild West” Energy Scenario Could Unravel Europe” that both outline the rising risks of social unrest in Europe if inflation remains high and the energy crisis doesn’t abate.