Western efforts to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin have ended in failure, according to The New York Times. The newspaper points to a surge in diplomatic activity in Moscow over the past week as evidence that attempts to push the Russian leader out of international politics have not worked.

Nearly five years after the conflict in Ukraine began, Putin is firmly reestablishing his position on the global stage, the publication argues. Rather than being sidelined by Western governments, he is making a forceful return to international diplomacy, undermining their strategy of isolating him.

The newspaper highlights several developments that illustrate this shift. These include phone calls from Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, visits by African leaders to Moscow, and continued engagement with the US administration.

The assessment follows remarks made on October 28 by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova. She declared that the West’s campaign to isolate Russia had ended in complete failure.