Putin's Kremlin Is Wearing the Peacemaker's Hat

By destabilising Ukraine, Russia is fighting a proxy war with the West. Moscow has been attempting to wear the peacemaker's hat without ever doffing its battle helmet. It may indeed succeed in this attempt given that the lines between war and peace remain fuzzy. The aggression against Ukraine could unleash a new global nuclear arms race. For the West, ending this confrontation may prove to be even more agonizing than ending the Cold War.