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Ukraine – the lull before a new storm

Expect a sharp escalation in fighting in the next few months as both Russia and the West switch strategies.

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There is no doubt that the risk-taking appetite is growing in Washington and key European capitals, and that the conflict is approaching one of the most dangerous phases, says the author.

The aim now is to prepare ordinary Russians for a long and arduous war in which they will be called upon to make many sacrifices.

PHOTO: REUTERS

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The war in Ukraine, now in its 11 month, has settled into a routine. It is no longer a top item in news bulletins or on the front pages of newspapers. Largely gone, too, are the anguished debates about who should be held responsible for the fighting or what must be done to stop it.

But this air of complacency is misleading. In many Western capitals – particularly in Washington – a consensus is emerging that this is just a lull before the storm, and that the next few months will see a sudden intensification in both the fighting on the ground and in the broader political confrontation between the West and Russia.

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