The French president has no intention of rushing troops into Ukraine without first getting his country’s allies to buy in. However, his rhetoric has be alarming, leading to serious discussions about escalation. It’s a very dangerous development.

If Donald Trump returns to the White House next year, it might represent a turnaround for Russia. Although President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia would prefer Joe Biden, he also cannot fail to see an opportunity in Trump to continue his quest to restore Russian dominance, starting with Ukraine.

While Central Asia is caught between two adversarial powers, it is unlikely to distance itself from Russia and China due to its geographical proximity and the already well-established ties between these nations.

As the conflict in Ukraine rages on, Russia has fewer nations to turn to to help sustain its protracted incursion save for China. Should the world be more wary of China committing greater resources to helping Russia’s cause?

As more relatively weak countries find themselves unable to stay out of the war, China must walk a careful path. It must avoid and mitigate risks, safeguard its national interests and put Ukraine on the road to peace at an early date. To this end, it needs a more flexible and pragmatic strategy.

With Vladimir Putin hinting at the possible use of nuclear weapons and Europe responding more aggressively, the prospect of victory seems to be tilting away from Ukraine. China’s diplomatic maneuvering for peace should set an example for the international community.

The possibility of another Trump-style leader in the United States — perhaps even Donald Trump himself — has shaken Europe to its roots. Europe cannot replace American hegemony. Thus, its only course is to accelerate toward “strategic autonomy” to become less dependent on the U.S. security umbrella, which has been in place since World War II.

By funding the war against Russia, Bretton Woods institutions, such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, undermine the rule of law as embodied in their charters. They have probably violated principles of economic impartiality, prudence and political non-interference.

NATO appears to be preparing to send troops to Ukraine, as the alliance believes it must defeat Russia at all costs. If it does intervene, it will create two major risks that could pull the world into an abyss: A conventional war could become a nuclear war, and a local war could become a world war.

The ongoing war in Ukraine stands as the paramount geopolitical clash of the 21st century, heralding a definitive return to realpolitik in global governance.