Are we heading toward endless wars or can we pull back? In this episode of Facing Coming Storms, Nikolas Gvosdev joins us to dissect 2025’s conflicts—from Ukraine and Gaza to Houthi attacks and India-Pakistan tensions. We explore “performative strikes” risking escalation and depleted arsenals, like US Tomahawks and Europe’s scarce shells.

Gvosdev reveals how drones sinking ships expose Western military gaps, unprepared for long wars. We probe nuclear powers clashing indirectly and societies’ readiness for mass casualties. From White House de-escalation to tariff-hit economies, this episode unpacks a world teetering between posturing and disaster—a must for grasping today’s unstable global order.

Key moments

07:25 - Balancing Military Will and Resource Constraints
13:21 - Lessons from Prolonged Conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza
17:50 - Evolving Norms of Nuclear Powers in Conflict
21:46 - Societal Tolerance for Casualties in Modern Warfare
30:36 - Global Economic Impacts on Conflict Dynamics
35:12 - De-escalation Strategies in a Multipolar World
43:12 - Cultural Influences on Military Preparedness

Facing Coming Storms is brought to you by the British Army’s Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research, in partnership with the Project for the Study of the 21st Century, and produced by Urban Podcasts.

Performative Strikes and New Forever Wars