View from UAE: Ukrainian war and disenchantment of the West

‘They’re in hell’: Hail of Russian artillery tests Ukrainian morale.
Photo: The Washington Post

The failure of the Ukrainian counter-offensive, which began in June, led to negative consequences both for the course of the war and for relations between Western countries and their military assistance for Ukraine, UAE newspaper ‘Al Khaleej’ (‘The Gulf’) writes.

Perhaps the recent crisis between Ukraine and Poland over military aid provided by Warsaw is one aspect of the crisis between Kyiv and the West over the ineffectiveness of the Ukrainian attack, which aroused the wrath and indignation of Western countries, despite their unlimited military support.

Warsaw, which was one of Kyiv biggest allays, urged Ukraine to value more its support in the war against Russia, and Ukraine replied that it ‘defends the values and security of the region and fights for the interests of Poland and the entire free world,’ and this support is it's not charity, it's an investment.

At the same time, the outcome of the recent NATO summit in Lithuania was not what Ukraine wanted. Kyiv wanted to join the alliance but was disappointed when NATO put Ukraine in a line. The decision explained by the fact that Ukraine accession to NATO would mean a directly drawing the alliance into the war against Russia. It means a new world war, which everyone is avoiding. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his disappointment, was outraged and called the NATO decision ‘unprecedented and absurd’.

It became clear that Western countries have done everything they can to help Kyiv and now are suffering from suffocating crises that are beginning to cast a shadow over their internal security. These crises are: high inflation, rising prices and unemployment, the first demonstrations of protest in Western countries, calls for an end to the financing of the war and strikes, demanding that funds should transfer not to military purposes, but to support social services.

Released CNN polls show that 51% of Americans believe that ‘their country has done enough to help Ukraine,’ while voices calling ‘for an end to the war and an end to support for Ukraine’ are rising.

American journalist Garland Nixon says: "Western countries are beginning to become disillusioned with the meager results achieved by the Ukrainian army, and some are beginning to feel that it has provided too much help."

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