During his speech at the Ambassadors' Conference in Brussels, European Council President Antonio Costa stated that the current war in the Middle East predominantly favors Russia, marking it as the sole victor in the situation. He pointed out that the escalating energy prices as a consequence of the conflict are significantly benefitting Russia by providing increased resources to finance its endeavors in Ukraine. This shift in attention towards the Middle Eastern conflict is perceived to undermine Ukraine's position while strengthening Russia's stance in the ongoing war.