U.S. support has been crucial for Ukraine in its war against Russia. For military aid alone, Washington has contributed more than $46 billion, more than the next ten donors combined.
Volodymyr Zelensky insists that more needs to be done and the White House guarantees unconditional support. But the war between Israel and Hamas threatens to relegate Ukraine to a secondary role on the international agenda.
Natasha Lindsteadt, professor of politics at the University of Essex, believes that “Russia has a lot to gain” from the current situation in the Middle East, as “the U.S. will be a little more distracted and there is some fatigue, both in Europe and the U.S., about aid to Ukraine.”
According to the political analyst, the situation is further complicated by the complex domestic politics of the United States.
Is it possible to finance both conflicts?
The impasse is essentially political. Natasha Lindsteadt points out that, in financial terms, the United States has sufficient resources to simultaneously fund the wars in Ukraine and Israel.
The United States has a huge military budget “Of over $800 billion. Aid to Ukraine is a very, very small part of this budget. And aid to Israel is also a very small part of that budget. I don’t think the United States wants to be directly involved in either of these wars, but it certainly has the economic ability to support both of them.”
Although U.S. military support is contingent on next year’s elections, Lindsteadt believes that Ukraine cannot be abandoned.
The world cannot afford to let the Russians win because “If we stop with Ukraine, who knows what will happen next? Russia has made it clear that it wants to expand its sphere of influence. It has already invaded other countries, especially when Putin’s approval rating is particularly good. I think given Russia’s proximity to the gates of Europe, there is a real fear that Russia will continue to violate the rights of European countries, both indirectly and directly.”
While Vladimir Putin has not scored many victories on the military front, on the political front the Kremlin’s influence continues to grow and is beginning to create serious problems in Brussels.
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