Zelenskyy says prolonged Middle East war could weaken US support for Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed concern that the ongoing US and Israel military campaign against Iran could reduce Washington's support for Ukraine.

According to Report, speaking to The Associated Press, Zelenskyy noted that shifting global priorities may impact the delivery of critically needed Patriot missile systems, which have already been supplied in insufficient numbers since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

"Ukraine urgently needs more US Patriot systems to counter daily attacks by Russian forces," Zelenskyy said. He added that Russian troops continue heavy shelling of Ukrainian cities and front-line regions, including energy infrastructure.

"We must acknowledge that we are not the priority right now. I fear that a prolonged war [with Iran] will reduce support for our country," he warned.

Zelenskyy also highlighted that the Middle East escalation benefits Russia. Depleting military resources make Ukrainian cities more vulnerable to ballistic strikes, while soaring oil prices economically benefit Moscow.

For Kyiv, a central goal is to weaken Russia's economy and make the war prohibitively expensive. Rising oil prices due to Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz undermine this strategy, boosting Kremlin revenue from oil sales and sustaining its war efforts.

"As a result, Russia gains additional money, so yes, they benefit," Zelenskyy stressed, referring to the partial easing of US sanctions on Russian oil.