Latvian Foreign Minister Krišjānis Kariņš believes that a new war in the Middle East may divert public attention from Russia's invasion and affect support for assistance to Ukraine.

When the host asked Kariņš in an interview with Deutsche Welle whether global attention to Ukraine has weakened due to the escalation in the Middle East, he replied that media attention has clearly shifted to the region but that the willingness of Western allies to support Ukraine remains unchanged.

"But, of course, there is a certain concern… about public opinion and public support, because governments in democracies, we work as long as we have the general backing of our populations. And if the public becomes very distracted with something else it could start to lose the focus and attention on Ukraine. But the war in Ukraine has not died down."

The official pointed out that Russia had attempted to carry out serious offensive actions in October (apparently referring to the Russian storm on Avdiivka) when the events in the Middle East made headlines.

" The Russians are suffering heavy losses, but the pressure has been increasing, and it seems that they are using, in a sense, the cover of ‘no one is paying attention’ to try to change the tide of the war there. So, the situation is very serious… What’s important is that we don’t lose sight of the importance of continuing to support Ukraine, no matter what happens elsewhere in the world."

The Lithuanian foreign minister recently warned other countries against the trap of a truce with the Kremlin, stating that concessions to Russia now would undermine hopes for a peaceful future for Europe.

On Monday, 6 November, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said the war in Ukraine must end in a sustainable and just peace, not a frozen conflict.