Many in the West think Sino-Russian ties are the key to a resolution of the conflict. But this is a significant strategic misjudgment. Any durable peace in Ukraine must be found through negotiations between the parties directly involved.

Three major diplomatic challenges have driven a wedge between the United States and Russia in their peace negotiations. Their divergence highlights more than a clash between worldviews. It shows their competition for leadership in the reconstruction of the international order.

The Trump administration will continue to sway as it seeks new equilibrium amid stress-relieving turbulence. Historical patterns can be seen, but so can evolving realities. No one knows if America will find another escape route.

‌Here are some suggestions for promoting peace, stability and development in the Asia Pacific region. For starters, to avoid bloc politics and confrontation or even a new cold war in the Asia Pacific, China, the U.S., Russia, Japan and India should actively develop new dialogues and exchanges and build on existing ones.

The U.S.-Russia contest over Ukraine ‌shows both the persistence of classic power politics and the clash of competing worldviews‌ at a time when the international system is undergoing ‌a seismic process of reordering. The Ukraine war and its potential settlement ‌are upending traditional major-power dynamics‌.

His ultimate vision of a new world order might be some combination of power in which the U.S. takes absolute control of the Western sphere of influence and weighs in heavily on global affairs with other great powers.

The future for European countries hinges on maintaining competitiveness and growth while safeguarding the quality of life of their citizens. The shock delivered by Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin could hasten Europe’s long-overdue strategic awakening.

Any lasting solution to the conflict will require consultation with all parties concerned and will be much more complex and difficult than simply putting forth hypothetical scenarios.

The war is unlikely to end according to the timeline of the incoming U.S. president. Imposing his Ukraine plan on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could give Russia an opportunity to rearm, thereby raising hurdles for the United States and its NATO allies.

China and Russia, long united by shared strategic objectives, have formed a quasi-alliance that poses a significant challenge to U.S. interests. As the Trump administration navigates this complex relationship, could strengthening U.S. alliances and boosting military readiness be the key to countering this formidable partnership?