At first glance, the title of this article might seem to underestimate the extent of Ukraine’s dependence on the West – the United States in particular – for its defence against Russia. However, this dependency is precisely where Ukraine’s power lies. Ukraine is in a unique position to hold the West accountable, forcing its Western allies to confront their hypocrisy and moral inconsistency.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy would not be grasping at straws by drawing parallels between Ukraine and Palestine. Both Russia and Israel have illegally invaded and occupied land in Ukraine and Palestine. Both nations have killed thousands of civilians, including countless children. And both aggressors rely on the same tired justifications of “special military operations” against a “terrorist enemy” who supposedly use “human shields” – rhetoric designed to excuse their destruction.

Currently, Zelenskyy is stubbornly promoting his so-called “victory plan,” seeking further support from Western powers, including Ukraine’s potential membership in NATO. However, this escalation is met with tepid conviction among his Western allies. While the US has recently pledged another $425 million in military assistance, it’s clear that this flow of aid may not last forever. With the possibility of a new American president looming – one who may not be as supportive of Ukraine – and with Washington pouring billions into backing Israel’s latest offensive, Zelenskyy must recognise the limitations of this strategy.

So, why would Ukraine risk its dependent relationship with the West and NATO to stick its neck out for Palestine, especially when its allies are so entrenched in supporting Palestine’s oppressors? There is, of course, a clear moral imperative – which we will come to shortly – but Ukraine’s own strategic interests are also at stake.

The simple reality is that global attention to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is waning. As images of gruesome genocide flood our screens day after day, many have become desensitised to Ukraine’s plight. Its fight for freedom risks becoming another forgotten conflict, much like Georgia or Armenia. Zelenskyy’s attempts to frame this war as a defence of “Western democracy” are backfiring, particularly in light of Israel’s latest wave of ethnic cleansing in Palestine. The West’s hypocrisy is not only fracturing its internal alliances, but it is also isolating itself from the rest of the world by taking such a morally inconsistent stance.

Only recently, Zelenskyy stood before the United Nations, appealing to the Global South for support in Ukraine’s fight against Russia. The hard truth is that these nations simply don’t care. The Global South sees more in common with their brothers and sisters in Palestine, bound by a shared history of violent oppression at the hands of Western powers. Ukraine’s current status as the West’s dependent younger sibling is doing more harm than good, alienating itself from much of the world.

If Ukraine were to stand up for Palestine and align itself with the Global South, it would not only garner the support needed to apply real diplomatic pressure on Russia, but it would also put the West – and the US in particular – into a corner. They would be forced to decide whether to abandon their support for Ukraine, thereby exposing the façade of their supposed commitment to defending freedom and democracy.

Ukraine’s path to securing its freedom will not come from military victories alone, no matter how much they bolster its negotiating power. True victory will come through global diplomacy – through pressure from countries all around the world, including Russia’s closest allies like China, India, and even Iran. And this support will only materialise if Ukraine takes a bold, principled stance by expressing solidarity with Palestine. Both nations are fighting for the same cause: freedom. It is in Ukraine’s strategic interest to emphasize this shared struggle.

Zelenskyy should not be positioning Ukraine’s war as a defence of ‘Western democracy’ but as a fight for humanity itself, akin to the genocide in Palestine. He must challenge the world to stand in solidarity with the universal human right to freedom and peace.

If Zelenskyy truly believes in freedom, what is stopping him from showing solidarity with Palestine? Over the last few years, we have seen Zelenskyy emerge as a leader capable of rallying Western support through impassioned speeches. He is certainly not afraid of delivering hard truths, as evidenced by his address to the UK Parliament, drawing on Winston Churchill’s famous “We’ll fight them on the beaches” speech.

To be a truly great leader, however, Zelenskyy must overcome any lingering stubbornness. While he may believe his current strategy is the path to securing Ukraine’s future, he must realize that real diplomatic pressure on Russia will only come from the global community – not just the West. The world is waiting, and it’s time for Zelenskyy to stand on the right side of history.

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