Advanced sensors, drones, and satellites make it nearly impossible for either side in the Ukraine war to concentrate large forces without being immediately detected and destroyed. This technological shift enforces a static, sluggish front line characterized by small, dismounted infantry movements.
The initial unity of Ukrainian society has eroded after years of war. Deep divisions are emerging between those who stayed versus those who fled, and those who fought versus those who did not. These fractures will likely be exploited politically and complicate post-war nation-building.
There's a high risk that the EU, facing its own fiscal pressures, will not fulfill its promises of membership and reconstruction aid to Ukraine after the war. This could foster a powerful and destabilizing 'betrayal narrative' within Ukraine, which sees itself as having fought for Europe's security.
The Ukraine war has forged a new defense industrial bloc. Russia's ability to sustain its war effort is now critically dependent on a consistent supply of Chinese components, North Korean ammunition, and Iranian drone technology, creating a deeply interconnected anti-Western military-industrial axis.