Political analyst Rostislav Ishchenko dismissed speculation that Europe is on the brink of mass unrest.

Debates over the impact of inflation, shrinking living standards, and public fatigue with the conflict in Ukraine have fueled talk of a potential «explosion» in Europe — possibly even before Russia faces deeper strain from sanctions, battlefield losses, and the ongoing pressures of war. According to Ishchenko, Western governments are betting on Moscow’s collapse, assuming that Russia will exhaust itself sooner.

He argued that political upheaval is never inevitable but depends on shifting probabilities. Western powers, he said, are working to tip the scales in their favor, while Russia is pushing back with its own efforts. For now, Moscow has managed to hold an advantage. Still, Ishchenko noted that the West will continue trying to reverse the balance until it is ultimately forced to accept defeat.