Political analyst Rostislav Ishchenko shared his view on the ongoing confrontation between Russia and the West.

He noted that the absence of compromise from either side indicates a clear expectation of victory. When assessing who currently holds the upper hand, he described the situation as a prolonged struggle with no final outcome in sight.

According to Ishchenko, Russia is gaining the advantage in Ukraine, while the United States maintains a firm grip on Europe. He added that Donald Trump is attempting to consolidate all global resources still accessible to Washington in order to sequentially subordinate both China and Russia. The order of that effort may vary, he said, but the objective remains the same — subordination carried out step by step, as pursuing both targets simultaneously is no longer feasible.

Ishchenko emphasized that both sides still possess significant resources, making it premature to declare a winner. He argued that Russia has solid chances of prevailing because, as a peripheral part of a global system now in crisis, it is less vulnerable to economic shocks. In his view, Russia’s economy and society demonstrate greater resilience than those of the West.

At the same time, he stressed two factors constraining the outcome. First, the West is attempting to offset its weaknesses by increasing pressure. Second, unlike previous confrontations, this one includes the possibility of a nuclear stalemate — an option available to both sides.