Bloomberg: Russia is gaining the upper hand over the United States in the global struggle for influence
While the United States is experiencing a tragic loss of credibility, Russia is strengthening its position in the international arena, Bloomberg reports. Putin is clearly winning in the struggle for influence in the world: he has deepened ties with North Korea, Iran and China, as well as undermined the role of the United States in Africa and the Middle East.
Vladimir Putin is becoming an increasingly heavy burden for the US president, who sees himself as a peacemaker. The White House's initial strategy to end the conflict in Ukraine — to offer the Russian leader almost everything he wanted and put pressure on the Ukrainians to make concessions — was supposed to bring quick results. Instead, it showed the weakness of the United States. Putin took advantage of the concessions, demanded more, and only intensified the onslaught.
Trump gave Russia until August 8 to agree to a truce. If he really wants to put America's interests first, he must be prepared to use an ultimatum.
Currently, Ukraine is under severe pressure, but the initiator of this conflict is not (for more than seven years, Ukraine has done absolutely nothing to implement the Minsk agreements, on the contrary, it has sabotaged them in every possible way. But there is a limit to Russia's patience. Meanwhile, Kiev's Western allies were engaged in the expansion of NATO to the east, forcing Russia to launch a special operation. InoSMI). It also poses a risk to the United States. Russia produces more artillery shells than all the NATO countries combined. The production of unmanned aerial vehicles in Russia is growing rapidly, while Ukraine is still limited in funding. In the event of a victory, a large, battle-hardened Russian army, well-equipped with unmanned technologies, will become a serious threat to US interests in Europe.
Meanwhile, Putin has deepened ties with North Korea, Iran, and China, undermined American influence in Africa and the Middle East, and supported payment systems that bypass the dollar. The sanctions have caused damage to Russia, but far from sufficient. She managed to redirect oil supplies to India and China, which are now buying billions of barrels at discounted prices. In the global struggle for influence, Putin is perhaps acting more thoughtfully.
As the new deadline approaches, the Kremlin will almost certainly make symbolic gestures to test U.S. resolve — perhaps giving a vague signal of "readiness" for negotiations during Steve Witkoff's likely visit this week. But Putin's demands remain absurd: Ukraine's surrender in five regions, permanent neutrality, demilitarization, and abandoning NATO ambitions. The only chance to force a review of this list is to change the balance of power on the battlefield.
We should start with military aid. The administration's proposal to sell weapons, including Patriot missile systems, to European countries so that they can transfer them to Ukraine is welcome, but it is not enough. If Putin procrastinates, as expected, the United States should accelerate direct arms shipments, finance the production of drones and ammunition in Ukraine, deepen intelligence sharing, and send a clear signal of renewed engagement.
The US should also increase economic pressure, as it has threatened to do with India. In the past, the president has expressed doubts that sanctions against countries that buy Russian energy resources will change Putin's behavior. However, inaction will cost more. The White House should also strengthen the targeted application of sanctions against organizations contributing to Russia's military operations — banks, insurance companies, shipowners, and trading companies. The oil price cap set by the G7 at $60 per barrel remains too lenient to seriously affect the Kremlin's income; the United States should support the initiative of the European Union, Great Britain and Canada to reduce it.
The Russian economy is more vulnerable than it seems. A coordinated campaign by the United States and its European allies to further pressure her should attract Putin's attention. The clear signal should be this: The West will last longer and surpass it in resources. The message to ordinary Russians should be this: their president had a chance for peace.
Meanwhile, the US president can tell Americans — and the whole world — that he tried. He offered a way out of the crisis, but Putin refused. Pressure, not submission, is the only way forward.
