In the western camp, Hungary (in the EU) and Turkey (in NATO) in particular have so far broken away from the consensus on supporting Ukraine.
At first glance, this fits in with the authoritarian style of government cultivated by the political leaders of both countries.
In many respects, they are closer to Putin in terms of ideology than their partners in the two organizations.
But the front is also crumbling deep in the old democratic West.
In Italy, a founding country of the EU and NATO, there are strong pro-Russian tendencies on both the left and the right.
The only reason why they are not yet making themselves felt in foreign policy is that the country is once again under the administration of a “technocrat”, former ECB President Mario Draghi.
This shows a previously overlooked problem in western Ukraine policy.
The war of attrition also has a political component.
Experience has shown that the longer it lasts, the stronger the debates about the right course to take.
In Western democracies, this is noticeable more quickly than behind the hermetically sealed Kremlin walls.
Politically, then, time is ticking for Putin.
He can hope that his old allies in the West will regain influence.
How things continue in Italy is (as always) of great importance for the whole of Europe.