In the battle for foreign support, Ukraine faces tougher times on multiple fronts

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has just returned home from a week-long North America tour imbued with optimism. He held centre stage

at the United Nations’ annual General Assembly meetings.

He shored up support for Ukraine in the United States, his most important weapons supplier. And in Canada – home to the world’s second-largest Ukrainian diaspora – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tried to bask in Mr Zelensky’s popularity.

However, the achievements of Mr Zelensky’s foreign trips remain both temporary and transient. For the reality is that, just as Ukraine is fighting a bloody attrition war against invading Russian troops, the country is also facing a gruelling diplomatic battle to maintain political and economic support. And just as a military victory remains elusive, diplomatic success is also far from guaranteed.