Why prolonging conflict benefits Putin, Zelenskyy, Netanyahu, Hamas & Trump

In the labyrinth of modern geopolitics, wars often endure not merely because of entrenched hatred but because their prolongation serves the strategic, political, and personal interests of the key players involved.

- SHAHID KABBAS

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the more recent Israel-Hamas war illustrate how leaders like Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Hamas leadership ~ along with influential external actors such as former US President Donald Trump ~ find reasons to keep the fires of conflict burning despite the devastating human toll.

For Vladimir Putin, the war inUkraineis notjusta military campaign ~ it’s a cornerstone ofhis vision to restore Russia’s great-power status and deter Western influence. Prolonging the conflict allows Moscow to maintain pressure, negotiate from a position of strength, and sustain domestic narratives ofexternal threat and national pride. The war consolidates Putin's grip on power by rallying nationalist sentiment and distracting from internal economic and political woes.