Two months since Ukraine launched its offensive, the pendulum of victory continues to swing back and forth. It is not a war of attrition but an evolving Ukrainian counter-offensive.

The new multipolar order may not prove more unstable than the era of US dominance. A closer look suggests that multipolarity offers several advantages, especially to non-Western countries.

The Black Sea cannot singlehandedly absorb all the international tension arising from the Ukraine war which means the conflict could potentially spill over into northern waters

The poorest countries in the world, particularly in Africa, are largely dependent on Russian and Ukrainian grain. They stand to lose the most if a deal is not reached soon.

After the threat of limiting oil and gas shipments to the rest of the world failed to convince Ukraine's allies to sue for peace, Putin is now turning to food as a weapon.

The Ukraine war between the West and Russia has reignited global strategic competition. African states are getting caught in the middle.

The threat to invade Poland may be a way to divert attention from Putin's mass purge of Russian figures and mask internal divisions with a bit of bravado. 

Sweden's Nato membership and Turkey's purchase of new F-16 fighter jets from the United States seem to have been included in a bigger package deal negotiated during the summit

Clashes with Kyiv grab the headlines, but Damascus is part of Putin's plans as wider geopolitics resonate as the war goes on