In a war of attrition, only two variables matter: will to fight and capacity to fight; if one side maintains both while eroding the opponent's either will or capacity, it can win; Russia has eroded Ukraine's both dimensions while maintaining its own, and the West cannot realistically destroy Russia's production capacity or blockade Eurasia.

causalpending

Speaker

Stephen Kotkin

Evidence Quote

a war of attrition only has two variables. The will to fight and the capacity to fight...We don't bomb Russia's production facilities...We can't blockade Eurasia.

Source

Stephen Kotkin: Russia’s Murky Future | Foreign Affairs InterviewForeign Affairs
Created: 8/12/2026, 10:22:55 PM

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