A stalemate on the Ukraine battlefield has settled in, and the U.S. is adjusting its strategy. The new idea is to preserve Ukraine’s territorial integrity while perfecting its war capacity. Instead, it should be isolating Russia politically and economically.

The war in Ukraine has provided the Biden administration with a chance to realize America’s geopolitical ambitions. Courting the nations of Central Asia could become a major Western success story. But it’s just as likely to end in catastrophe.

Russia’s suspension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which had allowed Ukrainian grain to reach the market, has exacerbated the food crisis facing the global South. While the conference excluded Russia, it provided an opportunity for China to step forward.

Frequent high-level contacts with China may be making a tactical difference for the United States. Tensions have eased slightly. However, the U.S. continues to pursue its broader strategy of containment. As elections approach, the Biden administration has little room to maneuver.

Boundaries have always been a core element in international politics. The United States has extended its Monroe Doctrine from the dominance of its own hemisphere to the world at large, so it’s hard to say exactly what the boundaries of NATO will look like in the future. But we know it will be expanding.

The core of the Chinese solution to the war is political. The international community has universally welcomed China’s diplomatic efforts, but different opinions have also been expressed. China must listen broadly to perfect its solution and persuade others.

Several countries are making attempts to play the role of mediator to reduce dangerous tensions in various regions. The United States and its closest allies have greeted such efforts with undisguised or barely concealed hostility. Such an attitude not only is unhelpful and counterproductive, it will further isolate the West in the international community.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s outreach to the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, could be a game-changer. The call was welcomed by Zelenskyy, who called it “long and meaningful.” As Beijing steps into its role as a global peacemaker, the world is taking notice.

We live in a world where geopolitical stability relies largely on deterrence. But how can we prove that deterrence works?