A week that had kicked off with hopes for a possible diplomatic thaw between Moscow and Washington ended on a note of disillusionment, as the much-awaited meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin was called off at once. The cancellation was due to the fact that a disagreement on strategy towards Ukraine had arisen among the various factions in Russia’s leadership. An incident that might have been a chance to reopen direct lines of communication instead turned to be a reiteration of the profound mutual suspicion and political inflexibility that are characteristic of both sides. Besides indicating how quickly the door to diplomacy is shut during the ongoing conflict, which has already lasted more than two years and is still altering the balance of power among countries, the Trump-Putin summit’s cancellation was also a sign of the helplessness of diplomacy in such a situation.
Missiles, Manpower, and Military Momentum
The political portrayal is failing, but the military are performing fast actions in the ground and air. By and large, Ukraine is changing its defense line to the west using the air and land forces when it is importing long-range missiles systems including the Tomahawks, targeting both Russian supply routes and the main areas the latter are operating on. Moscow is doing the same by increasing the number of new enlisted soldiers to over a hundred thousand, due to the escalating losses in the ongoing battles. These actions indicate that the war is entering a new, more intense stage. A maxim of “the first come, the first served” in regard to the winner of the winter siege is looming.
Europe’s Balancing Act
The conflict’s escalation in Europe is a tough balancing act for the nations involved. Countries on NATO’s eastern border have increased their military readiness, while others are struggling with economic and energy problems as they face the consequences of sanctions and disrupted trade. The series of drone incursions, cyberattacks, and breaches in diplomatic ties have ceased to be unique events—they are now part of a large and exhausting confrontation that involves all areas of European security. To an extent, the situation has come to a point where the next months may determine if the war proceeds to negotiation or rather dips into a prolonged generational conflict.
