Why does Zelensky frequently express concern during the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Analysis: Ukraine's "fall out of favor" has become a "foregone c
On October 18th, Zelensky called for the prevention of further escalation of the situation in the Middle East in a video speech
It has been 603 days since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The conflict is still ongoing and there is no sign of an end.
However, the recent resurgence of the "powder keg" in the Middle East seems to have plunged Ukraine and its President Zelensky, who had previously been the global focus, into new concerns that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict may divert US and European military aid.
For this reason, Zelensky recently made a surprise visit to NATO headquarters and frequently interviewed various media outlets, expressing his concerns about the possible reduction of Western aid. The Chairman of the NATO Military Commission, Rob Bauer, recently stated at the Warsaw Security Forum that the United States and Western allies have almost no sufficient ammunition to supply Ukraine, and "we have seen the bottom of the barrel now.
At the same time, there are also deepening differences within the United States regarding whether to continue supporting Ukraine. White House officials said that US President Biden will deliver a foreign policy speech to the country on the evening of the 19th local time, which is expected to cover the situation between Palestine and Israel, as well as the situation between Russia and Ukraine. So, can Ukraine "survive this winter" as Zelensky wishes?
Zelensky's sudden visit to NATO headquarters
Analysis suggests that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict or diversion of US and European military aid to Ukraine
On October 10th local time, Ukrainian President Zelensky stated in an interview that the violence in Israel and Gaza may "distract" the international community's attention from Ukraine, "which will have a subsequent impact. Some reports point out that although they are unwilling to face it, it has become a "new reality" that Zelensky and Ukraine cannot escape.
On October 11 local time, due to fears that the situation in the Middle East might distract Western supporters from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Zelensky suddenly appeared at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, the capital of Belgium. This is also the first visit to NATO headquarters since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict last February. On the same day, Zelensky held meetings with NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg and US Defense Secretary Austin, and participated in the NATO Defense Ministers' Meeting.
Ukrainian soldiers fighting on the front line
After a four month counterattack, the Ukrainian army still failed to make significant progress on the front line, causing many allies to lose patience. Even Eastern Europe, which had previously "supported" Ukraine, has recently seen some unsettling trends in Ukraine - in Slovakia, public support for Ukrainian refugees is weakening, and a new public opinion survey shows that Slovak citizens are increasingly accusing Ukraine and the West of "provoking war".
Russian diplomat and head of the Russian delegation to the Vienna negotiations on military security and arms control, Konstantin Gavrilov, said that this situation would have a direct impact on Russia's "special military operations against Ukraine". Ukraine's' gold lords' will be distracted by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the amount of military aid will decrease, "he said
As the weather gets colder, the Ukrainian army is preparing for winter combat. Prior to his surprise visit to NATO headquarters, Zelensky emphasized that the priority of this visit was to "survive in the winter" and hoped that NATO would further provide Ukraine with air defense systems, long-range missiles, and ammunition. Now we need the support of NATO leaders, which is why I am here today, "he said.
I want to honestly tell you that this is certainly a dangerous situation for the Ukrainian people. If there are other tragedies in the world and we can only share a certain amount of military support, that is exactly what Russia hopes for, "he added, The US presidential election will face challenges. I have talked to our partners and they have all said they will continue to support (Ukraine), but who can guarantee that these support will continue? No one knows
Rapid US aid to Israel after the Palestinian-Israeli conflict
Reported that the United States is delaying the provision of aid funds to Ukraine
It is reported that it is interesting to compare the actions taken by the United States in response to the Palestinian Israeli conflict and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
According to reports, the United States provides over $3 billion in military aid to Israel every year, accounting for approximately 16% of Israel's defense budget. Since the continuation of a new round of conflict between Israel and Palestine, Israel has been requesting additional security assistance from the United States, and Washington has quickly responded by stating that aid will arrive immediately in the form of ammunition and air defense materials.
Smoke billows in Gaza City after the attack
Red Star News previously reported that on October 7th, after the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) announced a new round of military action against Israel called the "Al Aqsa Flood", the United States quickly dispatched the "Gerald Ford" aircraft carrier combat group to move towards the eastern Mediterranean region.
However, this is only the beginning. According to reports, several hours later, the United States began dispatching warships and aircraft to the region, preparing to provide any necessary response to Israel. One day later, US President Biden stated that additional assistance provided by the United States to the Israeli Defense Forces was already on the way, and more supplies would be delivered later.
On October 13th, US Secretary of Defense Austin arrived in Israel and met with Israeli leaders to "discuss what else the United States can offer". A day later, the second US aircraft carrier battle group departed from Norfolk, Virginia to the eastern Mediterranean, and dozens of planes flew to US military bases in the Middle East. The US special operations forces have also begun to assist the Israeli military in planning and intelligence work.
It is reported that after the outbreak of a new round of Palestinian Israeli conflict, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a "very interesting" comment. He said to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, "I want to tell you that you may be strong enough to defend yourself by your own strength. But as long as the United States still exists, you will never need to do so. We will always be there for you."
The report points out that all of this is in stark contrast to the United States' attitude towards the issue of Ukraine: "The United States has provided Israel with an urgent new aid package and said that the country may not need it yet. The United States Congress is delaying the provision of aid funds to Ukraine
The United States will overwhelmingly support more aid to Israel from both parties
Analysis suggests that Ukraine's "fall out of favor" has become a "foregone conclusion"
During a visit to Washington this week, British Defense Secretary Grant Sharps warned US lawmakers not to ignore the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In an interview, Sharps made it clear that if the crisis of rapid development in the Middle East causes the West to lose support for Kiev, it would be a disaster.
We cannot forget Ukraine, "Shaps said." It is really important to keep the world's attention focused here. We can do it. We can focus on Europe and the Middle East at the same time, and I just want to coordinate here
Meanwhile, US officials are vigorously denying that support for Ukraine will be affected. US President Biden stated that both conflicts are crucial to US security, and US Defense Secretary Austin also assured NATO Defense Secretary, "We will support Israel, just as we support Ukraine. US Treasury Secretary Yellen came forward and stated that the US has an "absolute" ability to support both Israel and Ukraine financially.
According to reports, US President Biden returned to Washington on October 19th after completing his visit to Israel. White House officials said that Biden will deliver a foreign policy speech to the whole country on the evening of the 19th local time, which is expected to cover the situation between Palestine and Israel, as well as the situation between Russia and Ukraine. According to US officials, Biden plans to use this speech to call on the United States to continue providing financial assistance to Israel and Ukraine, and may request approval of $100 billion from the United States in the near future.
On October 18th, US President Biden hugged Netanyahu after arriving in Israel
However, some analysts point out that this clearly only represents the "intention" of the Biden administration, as the biggest threat Ukraine faces is the dysfunction of the US government. In fact, before the outbreak of the new round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the differences in the US Congress over aid funding for Ukraine had become increasingly significant. Due to strong opposition from some Republicans in the United States and their desire to reduce related expenditures, the question of whether the United States can continue to support Ukraine has become a "real concern".
At the same time, after the recent escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, both parties in the US Congress have overwhelmingly supported providing more aid to Israel. Against the backdrop of the new Speaker of the United States House of Representatives having been in a difficult labor situation, the foreign aid bill is difficult to pass due to the limited power of the interim Speaker.
Some analysts believe that Hamas' attack on Israel will "reduce" the United States' attention to Ukraine, which has almost become a "foregone conclusion". The United States is "focusing" on the consequences of the ouster of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who is also pushing for cuts in aid to Ukraine.
