Finland's FM acknowledges 'real' Ukraine fatigue
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Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen addresses concerns about Western nations experiencing fatigue over their support for Ukraine.
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Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen speaks to the media during a Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels on January 22, 2024. (AFP)
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen stated in an interview with the Financial Times published on Tuesday that Western nations are experiencing fatigue over their support for Ukraine and are looking for a resolution to the war.
Valtonen responded to journalist Henry Foy's inquiry about "Western fatigue" regarding Ukraine, saying, “It’s real, and increasingly so.”
The Finish foreign minister noted that some attention and resources have shifted from Ukraine to the ongoing war in the Middle East.
“These two conflicts are, of course, very much linked,” she noted without further elaboration. “For us Europeans, it would be important to realize that if we allow Russia to win in Ukraine, then essentially we end the credibility of our deterrence.”
She also raised concerns about the sufficiency of support for Ukraine, stating, “There is support for Ukraine, but what is sufficient? That is the question.” Many countries are beginning to think that, especially with the conflict in the Middle East, “it would be great if we found an answer to this war.”
The big picture
In recent months, Western military aid packages have been shrinking as many of Ukraine’s major supporters find their own weapon stockpiles depleting. Delays in deliveries have also been exacerbated by internal disputes in the US Congress and bureaucratic obstacles.
Germany, one of Ukraine’s key backers in the EU, has run out of heavy weaponry to send, Bild reported, citing internal Defense Ministry documents.
Washington has encountered challenges in replenishing its own stockpiles after sending weapons to Ukraine. “That’s a fair assessment that our supplies are not endless,” Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh told reporters on Tuesday.
She added that the US must consider its own defense in light of numerous challenges, including aiding Israel and “keeping an eye on the Indo-Pacific.”
Ukrainian officials have consistently linked delays in weapon deliveries to setbacks on the battlefield, where Russia has been gradually advancing in Donbass and has recently initiated an offensive to reclaim parts of the Kursk region that Ukraine invaded in early August. In recent weeks, Russian forces have captured numerous cities, including the heavily fortified mining town of Ugledar.
Kiev has cautioned its Western partners against succumbing to “fatigue” and has urged further support for its war efforts. Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Mikhail Podoliak expressed disbelief in February, stating, “I just can’t believe that anyone after two years of war thinks ‘we’re tired, let’s lose the war.’”
Read next: NATO re-evaluating long-standing Russia strategy: Politico
