Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Bucharest, March 12, 2026. ANDREEA ALEXANDRU/AP
The war engulfing the Middle East might seem distant to Ukraine. Yet in Kyiv, it has revived a familiar anxiety: that global attention will shift even further away from a conflict that has now dragged on for more than four years. In the Ukrainian capital, the new war launched by Israel and the United States nearly two weeks ago has not, so far, changed daily life. Russian bombardments continueallowed Russia to hit Ukrainian cities, while fierce fighting persists on the eastern and southern fronts.
The primary concern centers on the Russian economy, since Ukraine has counted on Russia's economic exhaustion since the start of the invasion. Now, soaring oil prices could give Moscow financial breathing room.
'The biggest winner from the conflict'
The war in Iran has allowed Russia to strengthen its grip on energy markets at the expense of Gulf states, which are unable to export their products. According to the Financial Times, Russia could be earning as much as $150 million (€131 million) extra per day from oil sales, "making it the biggest winner from the conflict." On Thursday, the US even temporarily authorized the sale of Russian oil stored on tankers. For Kyiv, this boost to the Russian economy at such a crucial stage in the war poses a serious strategic risk.
