That threat lost its power through overuse, but in the era of US President Donald Trump the Kremlin has been handed a still more potent weapon — the peace process. Instead, Trump’s policies have enabled further monstrous cruelty, as Putin drew the only logical conclusion — keep peace talks alive yet ineffectual, while pressing home the advantages gained. That is also because Russia’s remarkably resilient economy is finally showing real signs of strain, meaning that the clock is ticking for Putin, too. Both populations are exhausted, with opinion polls in Russia and Ukraine alike trending toward acceptance of some sort of settlement. All of these measures to persuade Putin he can gain nothing more by fighting should have been taken long ago.

Source: Taipei Times February 12, 2026 16:06 UTC