Susan O’Keeffe: The elephant in the room is Ukraine’s isolation

Political leaders in Europe and beyond may be sympathetic and supportive yet the invaded land remains outside the realm of nations that will be physically defended against aggressors

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky had asked for ‘a guarantee of future membership’. Instead, he and his people have been offered further sanctions and a commitment by the EU help to ‘rebuild’ his country when war ends. Picture: Sergei Supinsky/AFP/Getty

Watch the politicians wearing Ukrainian ribbons, talking about the atrocities across Ukraine and pledging profound support for the citizens of a country torn apart in a mere two weeks. Each and everyone of them, and all the others trying to outdo each other’s promises and platitudes, mean what they say when they say it; in the moment and in their hearts.

In the parallel world of realpolitik, there is no room for emotion and the ...