Stop the American money, Zelensky is alone now

It would be ungenerous to read news of Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Israel, announced by Channel 12 next week, as an attempt by the Ukrainian president to return to the spotlight of the international media, preoccupied with the conflict in Gaza. Following the Hamas attacks on October 7, Zelensky expressed his intention to go to Tel Aviv to show his solidarity, also supported by the parallel drawn by Joe Biden between terrorist attacks by Gaza militias and the Russian invasion. However, it is clear that, in these three weeks of crisis, the attention of the Western bloc has shifted from the war in Europe to the war in the Middle East. Zelensky himself complained on Tuesday that “the modern world is quickly getting used to success,” accusing the allies of “taking for granted the achievements of Ukrainian forces on the ground.” Among these matters, the Russian Black Sea fleet was forced to move away from the western coast of Ukraine, which “will remain in the history books,” the Ukrainian president said, but showed his frustration: “But now we do not talk about that much.” “.

It appears that war fatigue in Ukraine has finally struck the Western alliance that Washington has managed to build and maintain during 20 months of conflict. This is what Vladimir Putin had hoped for from the beginning. The war in Gaza appears to have precipitated the symptoms in the United States itself. “I guarantee you that without our support, Putin will achieve victory,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at a Senate hearing, calling for approval of new funds for Kiev. The Biden administration finds itself grappling with a difficult political conundrum. A $106 billion military aid package for Ukraine and Israel (including $61 billion for Kiev) submitted to Congress was rejected by new House Speaker Mike Johnson, who wanted to separate spending items. First, $14.3 billion in aid to Israel was approved Thursday evening, funded by cuts at the federal tax agency. Then we’ll discuss the rest. His line, which also ruled out funding for humanitarian aid in Gaza, immediately won support from the more conservative wing of the Republican Party, a wing that points to Donald Trump. What worries the White House is the fact that ten Democratic representatives also voted with Republicans in the House of Representatives. There is a risk that the “decoupling” line will also move to the Senate, where the Democrats in turn have a slim majority, despite the bipartisan support for Ukraine guaranteed by senior Republican leader Mitch McConnell. The presidential veto that Biden threatened if only the Aid to Israel Act was approved would be a setback. The White House will be accused of turning its back on its main ally in the Middle East, even during the war. “Confrontation” in the next few days. Meanwhile, in response to Johnson’s move, the administration announced a new $425 million aid package to Kiev, including 130 taken directly from the Pentagon’s arsenal and another 300 to develop laser guidance for munitions to hit Russian drones.