Ukraine Crisis and Putin: Has the Israel - Hamas war emboldened Putin in his war with Ukraine?

Having dragged their feet in supplying President Zelensky with the necessary arms that he needed to expel Putin's invading army from Ukraine since February of 2022, the US and the EU now find themselves somewhat tied up in political knots in the face of the recent Hamas invasion of Israel.

As reported by Andrew Buncombe (left),

"Joe Biden has suffered a setback after Republicans passed a bill to provide aid to Israel alone rather than link it to funding for Ukraine and other security measures.

In a flexing of his political muscles by new House Speaker Mike Johnson, just a week after he was sworn in, Republicans ignored Mr Biden’s pleas and passed a measure that provides $14.3 billion." (The Daily Telegraph on MSN.com : 3 November 2023 ) (my emphasis)

CBS News : 1 November 2023 : YouTube

In similar vein, as reported by Joseph Trevithick (right),

"More than five months after the possibility of Germany supplying air-launched Taurus KEPD 350 cruise missiles to Ukraine was first put forward, authorities in Berlin have yet to move forward with such a plan. However, if or when that decision is made, it will take around six more months to modify Ukrainian Su-24 Fencer swing-wing strike jets to carry them and train the crews of those aircraft to employ them ..." (The War Zone on Yahoo News.com : 2 November 2023) (my emphasis)

To politically 'mollify' President Zelensky, as reported by Gabriela Baczynska and Ferenc Gaal,

"German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (left) said on Thursday she was confident that the European Union next month would advance Ukraine's bid to join the bloc at a summit seen as a key milestone in Kyiv's efforts to integrate with the West." (Reuters : 2 November 2023) (my emphasis)

And whilst Annalena Baerbock is 'confident' that ALL EU members would advance Ukraine's bid to join the bloc, Pavel Polityuk, Marek Strzelecki and Karol Badohal report that,

"Polish truckers will block several border crossings with Ukraine starting next week in protest at what they say is Ukrainian hauliers' free rein in Poland that is hurting their business, a co-organiser of the protest told Reuters.
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The protest, planned to start on Nov. 6, comes amid an economic slowdown in Europe and a relaxation of regulations for Ukrainian transport companies in 2022 by the European Union to ease the transport of goods to and out of the country invaded by Russia." (Reuters : 2 November 2023) (my emphasis)

How will this affect the vote of the incoming Polish government, led by Donald Tusk (left), to accelerate Ukraine's bid to join the EU?

Attempting to further tighten the political knots that are now tying up critical military aid for Ukraine's fight against Putin's forces in Ukraine, Putin is now using his political megaphone to blame the Hamas invasion of Israel on the West as well as the anti-Semitic mob that rampaged through Dagestan airport hunting Jews

As reported by Will Stewart,

"Vladimir Putin has hit out at Western 'scum' who he accuses of seeking to 'instigate pogroms' in Russia after an anti-Semetic mob rampaged through Dagestan."
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Citing no evidence, he accused Ukraine and Western intelligence services of being behind the hate-filled uprising in Makhachkala, capital of Dagestan region." (Mail Online : 31 October 2023) (my emphasis)

Furthermore, according to Putin, "They [the US] need chaos in Gaza and the Middle East", . ( The Economic Times : 1 November 2023 : YouTube)

The Economic Times : 1 November 2023 : YouTube

And as Putin throws his political weight in support of Hamas and against Israel, Paul Kirby reports that,

"Russia bombarded 118 Ukrainian towns and villages in 24 hours, more than on any other day this year, says Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko (left).

He said 10 of Ukraine's 27 regions had come under attack and the onslaught had caused deaths and injuries.

Many of the communities hit were near the front lines in the east and south." (BBC News: 2 November 2023) (my emphasis)

More ominously, as reported by as reported by Andrew Osborn (right),

"President Vladimir Putin on Thursday signed a law withdrawing Russia's ratification of the global treaty banning nuclear weapons tests, a step condemned by the organisation which promotes adherence to the landmark arms control pact.
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.. some Western arms control experts are concerned that Russia may be inching towards a nuclear test to intimidate and evoke fear amid the Ukraine war.

Putin said on Oct. 5 that he was not ready to say whether or not Russia should resume nuclear testing after calls from some Russian security experts and lawmakers to test a nuclear bomb as a warning to the West." (Reuters : 2 November 2023) (my emphasis)