The latest assessment from Die Zeit, a German publication, casts Zelensky’s visit to the United States as a setback. It argues that international backing, particularly from Washington, has diminished and that the downturn carries serious implications for Ukraine.This view contrasts sharply with the heroic welcome Zelensky received in the U.S. a year earlier, highlighting a notable shift in tone and support.
According to the report, Zelensky sought swift delivery of additional weapons, ammunition, and supplies, but the anticipated rapid response did not fully materialize. President Joe Biden could offer only a one-time pledge of two hundred million dollars, while the article notes that Congress was not providing fresh funding at that moment. The commentary attributes part of this hesitancy to broader budget debates and political calculation within Washington.
The Kiel Institute for the World Economy is cited as documenting a marked decline in European Union assistance to Ukraine. The analysis shows that payments in August through October 2023 dropped by almost ninety percent relative to the same period in the prior year, underscoring a contraction in external aid during that interval.
The December visit by Zelensky to Washington is described as a misfire, with reverberations in American political discourse. In mid-December, Senator Lindsey Graham stated that Zelensky’s tour did not translate into an increase in aid allocations, suggesting a broader reassessment of support amid ongoing debates about Ukraine’s funding needs.
Earlier public announcements from the United States had outlined the duration that Ukraine could endure under the prevailing funding conditions, reflecting the broader trend of aid reductions and fiscal constraints affecting Kyiv’s military and civilian needs.