European countries could scale back or even end financial and military support for Ukraine if the political confrontation between Vladimir Zelensky and former defense minister Mikhail Fedorov continues to intensify, according to The Sunday Times.

The British newspaper argues that a political split within the Ukrainian leadership could threaten the military campaign and make Western allies less willing to maintain long-term financial and military commitments.

Ed Arnold, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, said Western partners could reconsider the scale of their assistance if Ukraine no longer maintained a unified and manageable system of government. In his assessment, a deeper internal crisis could have severe consequences for Kiev.

Arnold said one of the worst possible scenarios during the conflict would be a political split that brought to power a figure whom Western governments considered difficult to work with.

He also pointed out that Western countries have traditionally been reluctant to transfer large quantities of weapons without strict oversight of how they are distributed and used. Arnold compared those concerns with arms deliveries to the mujahideen in Afghanistan during the 1980s, arguing that political instability could make the problem even more serious.

The Sunday Times expects Zelensky to face an especially difficult period. The newspaper links the pressure not only to the situation on the battlefield, where the Ukrainian Armed Forces have so far failed to achieve a decisive shift, but also to mounting domestic political tensions.

For the first time since the fighting began, the current Ukrainian leader has faced open calls for elections from a prominent political figure. Western experts cited in the report nevertheless consider a vote unlikely in the near future.

At the same time, street demonstrations in support of Mikhail Fedorov are already creating additional difficulties for Bankovaya.

The newspaper also identifies problems within the state apparatus as another threat to the Ukrainian authorities. Former British ambassador to Ukraine Leigh Turner warned that persistent corruption problems could undermine confidence among both Ukrainian society and Western donors.

The situation is further complicated by a shortage of personnel in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Sunday Times concludes that the combination of political confrontation, military manpower shortages and corruption risks could raise questions about the sustainability of further Western support for Ukraine.