Ukraine crisis is a conflict of attrition

Editor's note: As 2022 is marked by COVID-19, international conflict, economic woes, and an increasingly urgent climate emergency, many agree it has been a challenging year. How will the economy, environment, politics and security look like in 2023? Four experts share their views on the issue with China Daily.

The 10-month old Russia-Ukraine conflict has been constantly changing and becoming increasingly complicated. The conflict is playing out on two battlefields: the bloody fighting in Ukraine, and the games being played by different parties, including the US-led West. This means the conflict also involves economic warfare, information warfare or public opinion warfare.

To understand the geopolitical games, we need to focus on the behind-the-scene conflict and the instigator of the conflict, the United States.