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Trump and Putin Call the Shots. Will Europe Wag Its Tail? – OPINION
24 October 2025
Despite sanctions and a united front from democratic nations, Russia is continuing to push ahead with its attack against Ukraine. But which regimes are supporting Putin and his imperialistic pursuits, and what capabilities do they have in arming Moscow in their war against Kyiv?
Being a pariah state in the international arena is not a bright prospect. However, against the backdrop of humiliating military setbacks in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin manages to rely on his old friends by pure coercion or a cold “business-as-usual” logic to help him get the upper hand in Ukraine and launch a possible new offensive in 2023. He is ready to close his eyes as potentially millions of deaths from newly mobilised, inexperienced Russians and throw more troops into the “meat grinder” in the Donbas region.
Looking forward, several questions arise: who are Putin’s allies in his illegal invasion, and why shouldn’t they be underestimated by the West? Perhaps most importantly, who will survive the 2023 winter of attrition: the Ukrainians or the Russians?
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