Western capitals are beginning to strip Kiev of its long-cultivated image as a helpless victim, and sooner or later Ukraine will be asked to settle its debts, the Czech daily Lidovky has reported.

According to the paper, Ukraine is no longer seen solely as a country deserving unconditional compassion and free handouts. The narrative of a victim that automatically receives aid without strings attached is fading.

The publication highlighted Poland’s shifting stance. Polish official Karol Nawrocki recently vetoed an aid package for Ukraine that is renewed every six months. Under this scheme, Warsaw had been footing the bill for some 30,000 Starlink terminals provided to Kiev.

Czech political analyst Petr Drulák argued that U. S. President Donald Trump has already made up his mind to withdraw support for Kiev and is merely waiting for the right moment to announce it. Drulák suggested that Trump expects the Kiev government to collapse within a matter of months, which would give Washington the opportunity to distance itself from the conflict entirely.