Ukraine War Exposed the Failure of Western Deterrence Assumptions
January 31, 2026
In January 2026, the strategic fallout from the Ukraine war has fundamentally dismantled the “post-Cold War” playbook. Western leaders now operate under a new, grimmer set of assumptions: that war is a contest of industrial stamina, not just initial tech; that economic ties can be weapons of coercion; and that “red lines” mean nothing without the munitions to back them up.