By love-89.com On October 15, following a severe Russian attack on Mykolaiv, Ukraine, a building was engulfed in flames, according to a report from the Associated Press. In a recent interview with the Financial Times (FT), Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen raised alarms about a growing sense of fatigue among Western nations regarding their support for Ukraine. She emphasized the need for other Western foreign ministers to intensify their efforts in backing Kyiv.
Valtonen’s remarks come amidst ongoing discussions highlighted in FT’s Europe Express column, which notes that since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, President Vladimir Putin has vowed to continue the war of attrition in Eastern Ukraine. Currently, Russian forces occupy approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, and some Western officials have begun to privately explore potential ceasefire options.
Addressing the issue of Western fatigue, Valtonen stated, “This is real, and it’s becoming increasingly so.” She pointed out that the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East have shifted attention and resources away from Ukraine. For instance, the Middle East dominated discussions at the United Nations General Assembly in September. “Of course, these two conflicts are closely related, but for us Europeans, it’s crucial to recognize that if we allow Russia to win in Ukraine, we essentially undermine our own deterrence credibility,” she remarked.
Valtonen also questioned the adequacy of support for Ukraine, saying, “Ukraine does have support, but what constitutes enough? That is the real question. Many countries are willing to believe that if we could just find an answer to the war initiated by Russia, that would be great, especially now, with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.”
Furthermore, she stressed the importance of tightening sanctions aimed at damaging the Russian economy, specifically addressing the growing “shadow fleet” of uninsured oil tankers that are evading crude oil sales restrictions. “These substandard, uninsured vessels are circumventing the price cap, which also poses environmental risks, particularly in the Baltic Sea. We are genuinely concerned, so there absolutely needs to be more action taken.”