Sympathy or criticism? The European Far Left and Far Right React to Russia’s 2022 Invasion of Ukraine

This study seeks to contribute to our knowledge on ‘Russia-sympathising’ tendencies in Europe. By means of content analysis, it examines how the far left (N = 26) and the far right (N = 33)—namely, the two party families where benign views on Russia are expected to occur most commonly—have reacted to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The findings provide insights into the prevalence and nature of ‘Russia-sympathising’ trends in contemporary European party politics.