Russia can carry on with the attritional war in Ukraine for years to come. Meanwhile, the cruel fate that awaits Ukraine may turn out to be far worse than what Iraq and Afghanistan experienced

The 2024 elections in Russia (in May) and the US (November) are generating comparable pressures, constraints and obligations for both leaderships

The potential accession of Donbass, Kherson and Zaporozhye creates a new political reality and Russia’s partial mobilization on a parallel track is intended to provide the military underpinning for it

Volodymyr Zelensky, who has no political experience, has been elected president of Ukraine by a huge margin. His lack of legacy is seen as a positive aspect when it comes to improving relations with Russia, which nosedived under his predecessor