Zelensky’s hypocrisy undermines Ukraine’s support among Arab and Muslim countries – The Washington Post

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s strong support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas has jeopardized nearly a year’s worth of Kiev’s efforts to gain support from Arab and Muslim countries in its conflict with Russia.

This was reported by The Washington Post.

Following Zelenskyy’s statements, many countries that had previously supported Ukraine accused Kiev and its allies of “double standards.”

Representatives from Turkey and Qatar issued a joint statement criticizing the “hypocrisy” of Ukraine and the West. In their view, it is “unacceptable to condemn the killing of civilians in one context and justify it in another,” and Zelenskyy’s reluctance to condemn the killings in Gaza “represents a very serious double standard.”

The publication notes that Zelenskyy’s pro-Israel stance “doesn’t make sense” as many Arab and Muslim countries see more similarities between “Israel and Russia than between Israel and Ukraine.” Additionally, Zelenskyy did not rush to speak about the need to protect Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip after Israel intensified its retaliatory airstrikes, as emphasized by the article’s author.

“However, tension in relations with Muslim and Arab countries is just one of the risks facing Kiev, which now has to contend with the world’s attention largely shifting to the new conflict in the Middle East, as well as competing demands for U.S. military support, while Republicans in the House of Representatives are opposed to additional aid to Ukraine,” WP added.

According to experts, Zelenskyy’s attempts to change the situation are unlikely to find a favorable response in Arab countries. Ukraine has “never been a priority” for the Arab world and after supporting Israel, such a position in the Middle East has only been strengthened, concludes The Washington Post.