Ukraine’s first lady pleads for aid: ‘If the world gets tired, they will simply let us die’

Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska warned in a new interview that her country is in “mortal danger,” as financial and moral support amid its ongoing war against Russia dwindles.

“We really need the help. In simple words, we cannot get tired of this situation, because if we do, we die,” Zelenska said in an interview with the BBC, set to air on Sunday. “And if the world gets tired, they will simply let us die.”

“It hurts us greatly to see the signs that the passionate willingness to help may fade,” she added. “It is a matter of life for us. Therefore, it hurts to see that.”

Her appeal to allies comes after the White House sounded the alarm earlier this week that the U.S. will run out of money to provide weapons to Ukraine without congressional action.

However, Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked legislation that would provide more than $15 billion in additional support to Ukraine. The funds would cover areas like “military training, intelligence sharing,” and “increased presence in the European Command area of responsibility.”

Public opinion polling has also showed that Americans’ support for providing Ukraine with aid and weapons is waning. A recent Gallup survey showed that at least 41 percent of Americans believe the U.S. is doing “too much” to aid the war-torn country — marking a 12 percent increase from a previous survey.

Asked how long the U.S. should provide funding to Ukraine, more than 60 percent of respondents said it should have limits, according to the poll.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky placed some of the blame for falling support on fears that the war in the Middle East could be diverting attention away from the conflict.

“We already can see the consequences of the international community shifting (attention) because of the tragedy in the Middle East,” Zelensky said in an interview with The Associated Press published on Dec 1. “Only the blind don’t recognize this.”

“You see, attention equals help. No attention will mean no help. We fight for every bit of attention,” Zelensky argued. “Without attention, there may be weakness in (the U.S.) Congress.”

The rising calls show that Ukraine is fighting two battles: one against the entrenched Russian troops and another in trying to convince a growing, skeptical West to continue providing aid despite a perceived stalemate.