A fact that’s routinely ignored is that both Germany and Italy have sizable populations of “ex”-Commies who had an affinity for the old Soviet Union. Not everyone in the old East German DDR hated the Russkies. Some of ‘em liked the USSR. Some of them worked for the USSR. Likewise, throughout the ‘60s & ‘70s & ‘80s the Italian Communist Party was a font of Soviet propaganda and influence. Not all of those loyalties and connections are defunct.
Another element of all this is that business is business. The Euros talk up their unwavering love and support for Ukraine, but it’s mostly b.s. Business is business, and the Russkies are rolling in petro-cash, and money buys influence.
The one thing that communist American D-bags hate more than American it is hating on Russia. They will never forgive Putin for not bringing back the old Soviet Union.