Regardless of how November turns out in the U.S. presidential election, the world promises to still be a dumpster fire.

The specter of conflict looms large over the world today, as speculation mounts about the potential scale and nature of war. Whether it might escalate to nuclear proportions or remain confined regionally is an unsettling question.

The international order, long dominated by Western hegemony, is increasingly contested by the rise of China, Russia’s assertive policies, and regional players like Iran, alongside empowered non-state actors. This paradigm shift threatens the U.S.-led global system’s stability.

The relentless strife in Gaza persists unabated. In a recent speech, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for prioritizing personal interests over those of Israel. Calls for early elections in Israel intensify amid domestic unrest, with Netanyahu alleging undue interference from Schumer.

Israel is poised to launch a ground invasion of Rafah where over a million Palestinians have sought refuge from fighting elsewhere in Gaza. Jordan, with backing from the U.S. and Germany, has extended aid to Gaza. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, however, emphasizes that the Gaza situation is a humanitarian crisis.

In Europe, the heads of state from Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and France convened in Berlin to deliberate on Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron proposed a bold strategy to deploy troops, suggesting NATO’s direct engagement against Russian forces. Yet, this recommendation met resistance from Italy and Spain, anxious about the risk of global conflict escalation. The integrity and fate of Ukraine hangs in the balance.

Keith Kellogg, National Security Advisor to former Vice President Mike Pence, has suggested a ‘tiered alliance’ within NATO to remedy disparities in defense expenditure. Countries not meeting the 2 percent GDP defense spending threshold would risk forfeiting the collective defense guarantee under Article 5.

The forthcoming years may herald transformative changes in international bodies such as the UN and NATO. Former President Donald Trump’s assertive postures toward the EU and NATO continue to reverberate, with the potential to realign global power structures. As Trump campaigns for the upcoming U.S. presidential election, his conditional stance on NATO defense commitments has raised the specter of Russian opportunism.

In recent comments, Elon Musk, right-wing provocateur and owner of Twitter anticipates either a decisive Republican victory or an ambiguous future for America. Trump’s increasingly strident rhetoric signals a sociopolitical pivot in the West that could empower nationalist factions within the European Parliament, potentially hampering the European Commission’s capacity for democratic governance. A Trump victory could precipitate a major geopolitical schism.

Germany’s unease has been exacerbated by the leakage of an audio recording featuring German military officials discussing the dispatch of Taurus missiles to Ukraine, including plans to target a strategic Crimean bridge. Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued stark warnings about dire repercussions.

Gaza and Ukraine have emerged as epicenters of the global conflict. President Macron, in a televised interview, stressed that the war has reached European soil, underscoring the strategic proximity of Strasbourg and Lviv. He positioned Russia as a formidable adversary, emphasizing the existential threat to European credibility and safety should Moscow prevail. Macron’s primary objective is to prevent a Russian victory.

In response to a confidential French military report doubting Ukraine’s prospects of victory despite external support, a British MP has questioned Macron’s rationale, pointing to French setbacks in Burkina Faso as a basis for his skepticism.

The outcome of the war in Ukraine may well hinge on Europe’s posture toward Russia and the result of the U.S. presidential election.

Meanwhile, Poland has experienced a political sea change. The conservative Law and Justice Party (PiS) has been succeeded by Donald Tusk, a pro-European Union figure, as prime minister. Tusk’s previous tenure as President of the European Council was marked by a critical view of U.S. policies. His recent comments underscore the challenges posed by Trump’s presidency to European cohesion and stability.

Hungary is similarly pursuing an assertive strategy, with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party consolidating power. The country aims to influence the European Parliament to align with its right-wing agenda, emphasizing sovereignty and conservative values.

Despite the global turmoil, a universal yearning for tranquility prevails. The shared aspiration across borders is for peace, not conflict, reflecting the complex interplay of national self-interest and the need for international collaboration in an increasingly intricate geopolitical landscape. Hungary’s advocacy for right-wing ascendancy in the European Parliament underscores its political imperatives.