Ukrainians judge Western support to be asymmetrical

The drones launched by Iran are the same as those launched by Moscow. Israel received aid from several countries, even though no defense agreement required them to do so. Ukrainians would like to see such a model of solidarity for their country.

How Ukrainians view the attack on the night of April 13-14 against Israel. The drones, launched by Iran, are the famous Shahed-136, identifiable by their triangular silhouette and their moped-like whirring sound. This noise, which now resonates in the Ukrainian sky and in the skies of the Middle East, is a “alarm signal”according to Volodymyr Zelensky.

These cheap drones are the instrument of two regimes seeking to spread “terror”, explains the Ukrainian president. They appeared in the fall of 2022, when Tehran and Moscow announced they were strengthening their military cooperation. Volodymyr Zelensky continues the parallel. According to him, Iran’s actions, like those of Russia, threaten an entire region. And Iran’s actions, like those of Russia, can draw us into an even wider conflict. Westerners must therefore provide them with an answer “resolute and united”.

“We are always like beggars”

For the moment, Ukrainians consider this support asymmetrical. In all, 99% of the missiles and drones launched during the night from Saturday to Sunday were shot down thanks to the Iron Dome, the strategic pillar of the alliance between Israel and the United States. But Israel also received help from France, the United Kingdom and Jordan, which mobilized ultra-expensive interception technologies, even though no defense agreement required them to do so. “This is the model of solidarity and defense that we would like to see here”say the Ukrainians.

Katya is Ukrainian, of Jewish origin. His mother and hissisters are currently in Israelel. His nephew, an army officer, died during an operation in Gaza. Saturday, she didn’t close theœhe of the night. “Either you are not sleeping because of the Shaheds who are coming to your house in Ukraine, or you are not sleeping because of the news concerning Israel,” she says. “But it’s impressive how Israel manages to protect its people. For example, my mother, she didn’t hear anything at night. So, I would like Ukraine to have such potential. But oWe are always a bit like beggars, we ask with one hand: can we have some weapons? It is unfair”, Katya said. It is unfair that kyiv’s allies do not do more. Ukraine, for example, estimates it needs 26 Patriot systems to protect the entire country. Germany gave up one on Saturday, but it has five maximum.