The rising trend in Western solidarity is certain to gain new momentum at the NATO summit, where the strategic goal of ensuring Russian defeat looks set to be reinforced. Moscow has no reason to expect that Mark Rutte, NATO鈥檚 new secretary-general, will show any more 鈥渦nderstanding鈥� of its ultimatums and deference to its 鈥渞ed lines鈥� than the unwavering Jens Stoltenberg has done. Putin is loath to see Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy receive a new boost for his leadership in charting the course to bring the ugly war to a just peace. Even the Kremlin leader鈥檚 nuclear brinksmanship is unlikely to spoil this outcome.
Baev, Pavel K. (2024) Russia seeks to maintain battlefield initiative on the eve of NATO summit, Eurasia Daily Monitor (1鈥�2). 12 July.
