A FTER WEEKS of nebulous ceasefire talks at the urging of a semi-engaged President Donald Trump, the war between Russia and Ukraine is intensifying again in savage style and with escalating stakes. In the last two weeks there have been record-breaking Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian cities and spectacular Ukrainian drone raids on Russia’s strategic bomber force,

Russian President Vladimir Putin is not interested in a ceasefire, but instead wants the "total defeat" of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told US broadcaster ABC News on Sunday. Only "hard pressure" from the United States and Europe could force Putin to back down,