During the early run of the Babylon 5 television series there was a war between two of the major powers. The Narn and the Centauri. Old rivals for sure with a long backstory and history between them.
As the war breaks out, both sides are trying to get Earth involved on one side or the other. At some point during this Commander Jeffery Sinclair, the Earth Ambassador and commander of the Babylon 5 station is in a conversation with the Vorlon Ambassador, Kosh. This is the exchange:
Kosh: “They are alone. They are a dying people. We should let them pass.”
Cmdr Jeffery Sinclair: “Who, the Narn or the Centauri?”
Kosh: “Yes.”
Reflecting on this I see it can be applied to today’s real word just as easily. With a few changes to the players it would read as this:
The USA: “They are alone. They are a dying people. We should let them pass.”
Europe: “Who, the Ukrainians or the Russians?”
The USA: “Yes.”