# Why Nobody Can End Ukraine War

> No one has the cards to stop Ukraine war.
- Title: Why Nobody Can End Ukraine War · Foreign Policy | Shortify
- Summary: No one has the cards to stop Ukraine war. Ukraine and Russia remain in a hurting stalemate with no effective process to end the war.
- Keywords: ukraine, russia, u.s., nato, peace deal, military aid, donbas, crimea, trump, zelensky, biden, sanctions
- Source: Foreign Policy — https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/09/29/why-nobody-can-end-the-war-in-ukraine
- Author: Stephen M. Walt
- Published: 2026-09-29T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: ukraine, russia, u.s., nato, peace deal, military aid, donbas, crimea, trump, zelensky, biden, sanctions
## War Stalemate
Ukraine and Russia remain in a hurting stalemate.
## Ukraine's Struggle
Ukraine suffers significant losses despite smaller size.
## Russia's Miscalculation
Putin thought war would end in days.
## Biden's Mistake
Biden accelerated Ukraine's NATO path.
## Trump's Pressure
Trump told Zelensky he didn't have the cards.
## U.S. Mediation Failure
U.S. alternates between sides without pushing for peace.
## Ukraine's Goals
Ukraine wants to regain lost territory.
## Military Escalation
Both sides develop new weapons and expand targets.
## Russia's Gray Zone
Russia attacks Europe to pressure Ukraine support.
## Economic Costs
War strains European economies and fuel supplies.
## China's Benefit
China gains from Europe-U.S. distraction.
## Mediation Questions
Who can mediate effectively? What settlement is feasible?
## U.S. Leverage
U.S. could pressure both sides for peace.
## Ukraine's Realistic Goals
Ukraine won't regain Crimea or Donbas.
## Trump's Incompetence
Trump lacks people to handle peace talks.
## War Continues
War will continue with both countries worse off.
## Key takeaway

Ukraine and Russia remain in a hurting stalemate with no effective process to end the war.