Unwinnable wars, risks of escalation, and the nuclear taboo

Russia aspires to be one of the “poles” in the presumed multi-polar world and hopes to play the role of a responsible leader in the reconstruction of the global order at the forthcoming BRICS (a loose political-economic grouping originally consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) summit. This ambition, however, is undercut and compromised by its aggression against Ukraine, which reduces Russia’s profile to a rogue state on par with Iran and North Korea. Every hint about a possible break of the nuclear taboo, which has gained a fresh impetus from the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, testifies to Russia’s progressing weakness rather than to its residual strength. Following this announcement, the Western coalition supporting Ukraine can connect with and even join the global coalition condemning every hand that reaches for the nuclear button.