For the past three years, Zelensky has been treated as an untouchable hero, both by the mainstream press and much of the world. To be fair, NEWSRAEL was among those who initially viewed him that way, especially at the start of the war when Russia launched its invasion.  

But as the saying goes in Israel, "a lot of water has flowed through the Jordan River" since then.  

The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine is no longer just a regional conflict—it threatens global stability. European nations, particularly those with a history under Soviet rule, fear that if Russia takes Ukraine, they could be next. Their concerns are understandable, but they only reinforce the urgency of finding a way to end this war rather than escalating it further.  

From an Israeli perspective, the double standard at play is glaring. Europe insists that Ukraine, having been invaded, has the right to fight back—even at the risk of provoking a wider global conflict. Yet, when Israel is brutally attacked, those same voices deny it the right to defend itself.  

The hard truth is that Europe must make a choice: continue pouring money and military aid into Ukraine, prolonging a war that is only growing more destructive, or push for negotiations that could bring an end to the bloodshed.  

Some, particularly Trump’s critics, claim that last night’s meeting was a deliberate “ambush” of Zelensky.  

NEWSRAEL tends to agree. What the media calls a "fiasco" appears to have had a clear purpose: to remind Zelensky—and the world—that without American support, Ukraine might have fallen three years ago. And that America is now signaling it’s time for this war to end.  

Zelensky’s remarks following the meeting saying that he cannot afford to lose America's support, suggest that he understands the stakes. 

Even with Europe’s backing, he must have American support. That reality may finally push him toward the negotiation table with Putin.