Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

The Israel-Palestine war is "taking away the focus" from the conflict in Ukraine, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted during a press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday. 

The Russia-Ukraine war has been ongoing for over 600 days since February 24, 2022. In the eyes of the Western countries which support Ukraine, the progress of Ukraine's counteroffensive has been minimal, leading to war fatigue. These countries no longer have the interest, motivation, courage, or financial and human resources to continue supporting Ukraine. The sudden outbreak of the Israel-Palestine conflict has diverted some of the attention and assistance that was originally designated to Ukraine. 

The US House approved a nearly $14.5 billion military aid package Thursday for Israel, not Ukraine. On Friday, the Biden administration announced additional security assistance of $425 million for Ukraine, a much smaller amount, but it also admitted that the package "exhausts the remaining USAI funds currently available to support Ukraine." Some hardline Republicans have already opposed continued assistance for Kiev, putting the future of US aid for Ukraine in doubt.

This proves that the US-led West just views Ukraine as a pawn that can be set aside whenever necessary.

It is evident that the loss of attention has caused panic for Ukraine. For the US, Israel is more strategically important than Ukraine, as Israel matters a lot to the US' Middle East strategy. Comparatively, Ukraine is merely a tool that the US uses to counter Russia. It is highly unlikely that the US would compromise its core interests. 

Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times that relying on Western support to achieve victory in the war against Russia is a manifestation of Ukraine's miscalculation. And the US, on which Ukraine hinges its hopes, hardly has the capacity to deal with two wars at the same time. The US has been forced into multiple conflicts of its own making. This is a fatal flaw for the implementation of its grand strategic planning. The US is destined to be unable to solve the fundamental problems of the Israel-Palestine conflict or the Russia-Ukraine war. 

According to NBC's report on Saturday, US and European officials have begun quietly talking to the Ukrainian government about what possible peace negotiations with Russia might entail to end the war. This could symbolize Ukraine being abandoned by the West and potentially becoming a Western outcast. 

"It's only a matter of time before the West abandons Ukraine," Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times. Over 600 days is not a short time span, and Western countries' hope to use Ukraine to completely weaken Russia has fallen flat. Based on the current situation of the war, Ukraine is not up to the task envisioned by some Western countries and cannot meet the actual needs of containing Russia, Song added.

Ukraine cannot militarily defeat Russia, and this is the known outcome when the war just started. The trajectory of the Russia-Ukraine conflict is in the hands of the US. Ukraine has lost its bargaining chips for negotiations, and whatever the negotiation results, Ukraine will have to sacrifice its own interests. Under US pressure, Ukraine and Russia may talk, but in reality, these are talks between the US and Russia. 

"Only a consensus between the US and Russia can lead to an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict," said Song.

Zelensky may have woken up to the fact that his country is no longer the US' favorite. The bitter experience of Ukraine also makes the world see that the fate of a country must be in the hands of its own people, rather than being manipulated and dominated by such big powers as the US.

The US is too selfish to think of the interests of other countries. Countries shouldn't hold any belief whatsoever in US commitment. When the US comes to the conclusion that its investment in a certain country generates more losses than gains, it will abandon that country without a second thought. Look at Afghanistan and Syria, and now Ukraine. Who will be next?

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn