Putin Has an Unexpected Ally He Can’t Control
The Russian president’s latest force multiplier is making his war more destructive and Ukraine’s escape routes less reliable.
On the Danube, a European war is resurfacing, as drought has exposed the rusting hulls of German warships that were scuttled there in 1944. This summer, the river has become a new ally for Ukraine in its struggle against Russian attacks on Black Sea ports. Russia has intensified its campaign against Ukrainian ports, hit infrastructure leading to alternative routes, and even struck a bridge crucial to the Danube shipping route.
President Vladimir Putin has an unexpected ally in this conflict: a hotter, drier Europe. Ukraine has built redundancy systems to adapt to disruptions, but extreme heat and drought are putting these alternatives under strain. Russian President Putin sees an opportunity in this situation, publishing an essay suggesting Europe will need Ukrainian grain despite weakened export potential.
Ukraine's Black Sea and Danube routes are now under attack simultaneously, testing the improvised export systems and threatening food supplies.
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