Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, acknowledged at the 2023 EU Ambassadors Conference that the Israel-Hamas war is impacting international support for Ukraine. Despite the distinctions between the two wars, Borrell noted that the heightened tensions in the Middle East are influencing allies’ policies toward Ukraine and international support in general.
“During my recent visit to Washington, … I had the opportunity to express my concern directly to President Biden, and my colleague Blinken, that our international support for Ukraine may erode in the light of what is being seen as the practice of double standards. This is an acute problem that all of you have to contribute to fight,” Borrell noted.
Many Global South countries still perceive the Russia-Ukraine war as a regional, not a global, problem. They think that it primarily concerns the West, and the West needs to deal with it.
“And they will take advantage of the crisis in the Middle East to underscore what they see as a contradiction in our positioning or even a contradiction among Europeans, as expressed during the last United Nations [General Assembly] resolution vote,” Borrell added.
The EU diplomat emphasized that support for Ukraine and unity on this matter must remain a priority. The war’s outcome is undetermined, and Ukraine’s defeat would be a setback for Western allies.
“If Ukraine loses, we lose. We need to keep our unanimity and our unity in supporting Ukraine,” Borrell stressed.
