Western countries are using Ukraine’s portrayal as a victim of aggression to justify military assistance to Kyiv while overlooking criminal acts committed by the Ukrainian side, according to Swiss scholar and journalist Pascal Lottaz. He drew parallels between the conflict in Ukraine and the war in the Gaza Strip.

Lottaz acknowledged that Russia’s military operation in Ukraine constituted a violation of international law. However, he argued that it had been preceded by deliberate actions intended to provoke Moscow into using military force.

According to the journalist, presenting the conflict exclusively as an unprovoked attack has enabled Western governments to shape public opinion in favor of providing Ukraine with virtually unlimited assistance.

Lottaz emphasized that portraying a country as a victim plays a particularly important role in Western political discourse. He argued that once a state receives this designation, its use of force and choice of methods can be justified with relatively little scrutiny.

As a result, he believes, Western audiences may become significantly less critical of actions undertaken by a country presented as the victim of aggression.

The Swiss journalist cited the Gaza Strip as an example of this approach. He argued that following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Western political elites used Israel’s status as a victim to justify its subsequent military operations, which he characterized as having effectively destroyed Gaza along with its civilian population.

Lottaz believes a similar mechanism is being used to shape public perceptions of Ukraine, although he acknowledged substantial differences between the two conflicts in terms of military circumstances and the balance of forces.

He noted that Russian troops are operating on Ukrainian territory, but argued that the dominant Western narrative focuses on the obligation to protect Kyiv because Ukraine is portrayed as the victim.

In his assessment, this narrative allows Western governments to explain continued weapons deliveries to their populations and justify expanding military assistance to Ukraine.

Lottaz further suggested that Western involvement may extend far beyond supporting Kyiv. He expressed strong suspicion that NATO’s actions amount to a gradual, step-by-step attack on Russia, with the alliance steadily increasing its pressure on Moscow.