Final Word from Monday, June 23, 2025

Joe Biden never intended to get directly involved in the war in Ukraine, so it was useful to have Petr Fiala and other Central European politicians hop on a train to Kyiv to rustle up support for the underdog three weeks after the Russian invasion began. Volodymyr Zelensky said after meeting with the four leaders on March 15, 2022, that they "fear nothing," and he urged others to make the trip too. Many subsequently did. Israel's war against Iran is now in its second week, but no solidarity visit by Fiala is in sight. There are numerous differences this time, not least of which is the moral and international-law question of whether Israel was justified in striking first. Most top Czech politicians have limited their approval to one of "understanding" Israel's actions. Perhaps the biggest difference this time, though, is that Donald Trump seems serious about winning. Just as serious, it seems, as Biden was in deliberately not winning in Ukraine. Only a politician who truly fears nothing would travel now to Tel Aviv. [ Czech Republic Poland Slovenia Benjamin Netanyahu Mateusz Morawiecki Janez Janša Jaroslaw Kaczynski ]