Chance for change of approach on Ukraine

This is an editorial from China Daily.

The Ukraine conflict has been raging for almost two years and there is growing evidence that Western support for Ukraine is waning.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky kicked off a quick visit to Washington on Monday at the invitation of US President Joe Biden, his third visit to Washington since the conflict in Ukraine began, in the hope of breaking the deadlock in the US Congress over emergency aid to Ukraine.

But Biden and the Ukrainian leader may not get what they want due to the partisan struggle between the Democrats and Republicans and attention switching to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Last week, to press their demands for more border controls, Senate Republicans blocked a bill that would provide $110.5 billion in funding for Ukraine, Israel, and other security needs.

According to reports, a deal tying immigration and border policy changes to the emergency aid package is unlikely to be reached before lawmakers leave town for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The Biden administration also has to contend with public sentiment, with the Ukraine crisis likely to be a factor in the 2024 US presidential election, as the number of Americans who say that the US is giving too much support to Ukraine has grown steadily over the course of the war. A Pew poll conducted from Nov 27 to Dec 3 found that 31 percent of Americans polled believe "the US is providing too much assistance to Ukraine", while 29 percent say "the US is providing the right amount of support" and only 18 percent say the US is not providing enough.

Meanwhile, President Biden has tied US support for Ukraine and Israel together, describing both nations as democracies fighting enemies determined to "completely annihilate" them. But the Biden administration is finding it increasingly difficult to justify its unconditional support for Israel as Israeli forces commit what have been condemned as "ongoing injustices against the Palestinian people".

In Europe too, Kyiv is facing difficulties getting the desired assistance. European countries are delaying the delivery of their promised military assistance and Ukraine's EU membership talks also appear to hang in the balance.

As such, the West's Ukraine policy is at a crossroad. Despite much fanfare, Ukraine's counteroffensive this year has failed. The longer the conflict is prolonged, the more the repercussions are being felt by other countries and the less public support there is to fan the flames of the fighting. It is high time the US-led West joined the other members of the world community to urge Kyiv to come to the negotiating table.