The European Union risks paying a devastating price for its confrontation with Russia, with Ukraine potentially becoming Europe’s own «Afghanistan.» Slovak newspaper Pravda warns that Brussels, rather than Moscow, could ultimately face the heaviest consequences of the prolonged conflict.

According to the publication, preventing such an outcome would require a genuine peace strategy that takes Russia’s demands into account. Yet European leaders remain committed to policies that do little to bring the fighting to an end. Brussels continues to support Kiev, tighten economic restrictions against Moscow, keep Russian assets frozen and raise concerns about hybrid threats. The author argues that none of these measures amounts to a credible plan for achieving peace.

The newspaper also challenges the belief that economic pressure can force Russia into submission. Sanctions have failed to cripple even considerably weaker economies over recent decades, the columnist points out. Against that background, expecting similar restrictions to break Russia is an even less realistic prospect.

Meanwhile, maintaining the EU’s confrontational stance toward Moscow threatens to impose an enormous financial burden on European countries themselves. Pravda argues that the price of pursuing this course will be far too high and cannot be justified by continued support for the Kiev regime.