The ongoing war in Ukraine continues to escalate. Despite some hope sparked by a meeting between Trump’s envoy, Witkoff, and Putin, the future remains uncertain. The key question is: what’s next in the Ukraine conflict – a ceasefire or a full-scale war? Russia has outright rejected a ceasefire, stating that it will act in the nation’s best interest. Furthermore, China’s support appears to be behind Russia’s stance.
With a deadline set by Trump fast approaching, the United States is engaged in diplomatic and strategic preparations. The list of sanctions is also expanding. Russia has prepared for a major conflict, and war clouds loom over Europe and Asia from America.
American Navy exercises are taking place near Russia under the guise of drills. The exercises are occurring in the Chukchi Sea in the Alaska region, an area with the shortest distance between Russia and the US. NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) has announced that the drills will continue throughout the month, with the UK and Denmark joining in the coming days.
Trump is attempting to pressure Putin by simultaneously employing diplomacy and military posturing. However, he doesn’t want a direct war with Russia. This is why Steve Witkoff visited Moscow, and Trump has also deployed another close ally to persuade Putin.
Meanwhile, Israel is also seeking closer ties with Russia. Netanyahu has spoken to Putin twice in the last seven days, with the leaders engaging in discussions for around 40 minutes. Netanyahu stated he is trying to ease tensions in the US-Russia relationship. Positive discussions about a ceasefire have also been discussed, but news agencies worldwide report that Putin’s stance indicates that a ceasefire is unlikely.
The Kremlin has announced that there are no limits on deploying nuclear missiles. Russia can deploy as many nuclear missiles as it desires. This follows Russia’s withdrawal from a 1987 treaty with the US, which limited the deployment of missiles with ranges of 500-5,500 km.
Additionally, a battlefront against America has been established. China, Russia’s no-limits partner, is included in this front. Just as the US has encircled Russia, Russia and China have encircled its ally, Japan. Chinese and Russian forces are demonstrating power near Japan in the East Sea with joint exercises.
A major conflict could erupt if negotiations fail, if attacks occur on the Russian oil export shadow fleet, or if Russian interests are harmed.