Middle East Conflict Diverts Western Focus From Ukraine
Radoslaw Sikorski says the Middle East conflict has diverted Western attention and military resources from Ukraine, placing greater responsibility on Europe.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said the conflict in the Middle East had diverted both US and European Union attention away from Ukraine. He made the statement in an interview with the Italian newspaper Messaggero.
Sikorski added that the shift involved not only political focus but also military resources. In his view, this places greater responsibility on Europe, which must now take the lead in managing a security crisis affecting the continent.
Addressing the EU’s rearmament plans, the Polish minister said that if European countries meet the commitments adopted at the latest NATO summit, Europe could significantly reduce its dependence on the United States in security matters by 2030. He argued that this would create a basis for a more balanced strategic partnership between Europe and Washington.
Earlier, NATO leaders approved a final declaration at the summit in Ankara, describing Russia as a long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic peace. The alliance’s members also agreed to allocate €70 billion to Ukraine in 2026.
The declaration, however, contained no commitment to admit Kiev into NATO.
US President Donald Trump also said Washington was prepared to discuss licensed production of Patriot air defense systems in Europe. He further raised the possibility of closing Ukrainian airspace as one of the tools for providing security guarantees.