Serhiy Prytula: So who is our ally now?

by Serhiy Prytula, the founder and volunteer of his eponymous Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation

Source: Prytula on Facebook

What had been whispered about since U.S. President Donald Trump’s inauguration has now become reality.

I said a year ago that we need to learn to live as if the U.S. is absent and pursues isolationist policies. Back then, I was criticized for being too harsh, but today’s news only confirms the point — we have to rely on ourselves and Europe to “dig ourselves out.”

Though Germany, to whom we owe a lot, also brought disappointing news. Current German Prime Minister Freidrich Merz, who during his campaign clearly stated that Ukraine needs Taurus long-range missiles, now says those are “only an option” for us.

Hope was given. Hope was taken away. Nothing new. That’s just one type of weapon — for others, Germany has been and remains a leader in supporting us, and I am deeply grateful.

Yes, we all got emotional when Trump, during a press conference in The Hague, showed unexpected empathy toward a Ukrainian journalist whose husband is fighting, saying the U.S. would see if it could provide “some Patriots.” Many took that as a positive sign.

But the reality turned out otherwise.

The U.S. has already blocked multibillion-dollar aid packages, paused weapons deliveries, withheld intelligence, and sent weapons against to defend against “Shahed” drones to the Middle East — not to us.

Ahead lies another trial. We have hopes in Europe, but I urge you not to get your hopes too high. We are dealing with a fairly rigid European bureaucracy and economies that were never “designed” to prepare for a possible war with Russia.

Yes, the EU now openly admits it wasted three years hoping for steadfast partnership within NATO. But does that make it any easier for us? They will take a long time to mobilize and sincerely hope Russia won’t attack in the next five years.

So when people ask me: who is our greatest ally? I always say — we are. We have long since changed and matured. If in 2016 volunteers knew each other by name, today volunteering is a mass movement.

We have gained new skills that we didn’t have before 2022. We are the first in the world to develop new approaches to unmanned systems. What we invent on the battlefield is studied by armies worldwide. Foundations and volunteers fulfill thousands of military requests — from drones to satellite communication systems.

This is our strongest alliance: civil society and the army, the people and the soldier. We are grateful to our partners but must not have any illusions. Their support is shaped by election cycles, ratings, and fears. Ukrainians, however, are constant — and that is our greatest strength.

Stay strong! Support the Defense Forces!