As the conflict in Israel rages on, the world must not forget about Ukraine

Russian troops are shelling the Ukrainian town of Avdiivka with such relentlessness that emergency workers have been unable to enter destroyed buildings to remove the bodies. Ukrainian generals have said that fighting in eastern frontline towns has “worsened” significantly in the last few days, a consequence of Ukraine’s promised counteroffensive having been far less successful than had been hoped (Vladimir Putin, for all that his words are worth, said on Sunday that it had “failed completely”).

Ukrainian soldiers have been reduced to firing their high-powered, long-range howitzer guns, supplied to them by the UK, just once a day, owing to a shortage of ammunition to put in them.

This, but for horrifying events in Israel and Gaza, would have been last week’s news. There is always a concern that when people are forced to reprioritise what they care about that governments follow suit. That somehow events in Israel and Gaza might lessen the resolve and the unity of Western countries to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Reality doesn’t quite work like that. Commitments made are not unmade. Promises do not simply get broken. Not least as, for now, the horrific terrorist attack in Israel and the ongoing retribution do not come with extraordinary demands for assistance from Israel’s allies.

But public sentiment does matter. Volodymyr Zelensky has proved to be a masterful war leader. There are clear reasons why, in the midst of a conflict that makes unimaginable demands on him, he has correctly calculated that it matters to appear in the House of Commons, to address the US Senate, the European parliament and the other parliaments of Europe. Every time he does so, he deliberately makes life difficult for his hosts. When he came to Westminster, he brought with him a Ukrainian fighter pilot’s helmet and very politely pointed out to the MPs applauding him that he would like them to send him fighter jets.

He knows that the best way to apply pressure to leaders is through their people. And he will also know that the overshadowing of Russia’s invasion of his country by other world events will make that pressure dissipate. It is important that it does not.

How the situation in the Middle East develops is uncertain and unnerving. It seems likely that other regional powers will be drawn in, which will escalate the situation in ways that come with immense risk. The situation in Ukraine, meanwhile, is just as deadly but less complicated. Eastern Ukraine is the front line for what is still rightly called the free world. Mr Putin still wants to turn the chess board over, to end what he sees as US-led global hegemony – a position in which he has the backing of China, and the support of many countries throughout Africa and elsewhere.

The UK has had far too many governments in the last few years, but they have been unwavering in their commitment to ensure that fight is not lost. They have been supported, too, by unwavering commitment from all parties. Events in the Middle East are unlikely to cause that commitment to waver – certainly not in this country.

The world is unlikely to abandon Ukraine but it must not go quiet on it either. Global leaders should not turn down opportunities to repeat messages of solidarity with Ukraine. Such messages would be extremely welcome in Kyiv and elsewhere, where people will be worried that the world has moved on from their concerns.

They should be reminded, as often as possible, that it hasn’t – and whatever gratitude they might feel for our assistance is replicated in our gratitude to them, for having the misfortune to have to fight for all of us.