The Europeans remain at Ukraine's side, despite the growing difficulties.

Inflation and anxiety over nuclear weapons may be eating away at popular support for war, but key governments remain immune pressures for now.

ROME — High cost of living sparks strikes, protests and widespread discontent. Talk of nuclear weapons has heightened concerns and encouraged some to demand rapid negotiations. And Russian President Vladimir V. Putin is courting politicians, including many right- and left-wing populist parties who have flirted with him in the past.

But while Mr Putin may have been betting on European fatigue and intolerance for the struggles to split the alliance and seal off its weakest members, more than eight months into Russia's war on Ukraine , the magnitude of the challenges has been effectively exploited by the leaders to stiffen the public spine and Europe holds its ground.

Despite some kicking and shouting, the governments across the ideological spectrum and across the continent - in Western and Eastern Europe, the Baltics and along the Mediterranean - maintain support for Ukraine and tough sanctions against Russia.

While recent polls show a slight drop in popular support e for Ukraine across Europe, support still remains strong, and the leaders of Germany, France and Italy — the continent's three largest countries appear isolated against external and internal pressures to cave in the foreseeable future, as they all recently held elections.

Many analysts believe this commitment will last as long as the United States holds the line, but Republican gains in Tuesday's midterm elections, some of which questioned the cost of the war, could alter those expectations.