Correspondents flag uncertainties for Ukraine, Syria and China in 2026

New York Times correspondents in Kyiv, Istanbul and China outlined what 2026 might bring for Ukraine, the Middle East and China, saying the U.S. attack on Venezuela was the “mother of all wild cards” and could send ripples around the world. Andrew Kramer, the Kyiv bureau chief, wrote that the war in Ukraine will enter its fifth year in February and remains fiercely violent but mostly static.

He said Russia is making slow, costly advances while Ukraine’s army is not on the brink of collapse; however, rising desertion and draft dodging have opened wide gaps in Ukrainian lines and could let Russia break through if personnel shortages worsen. Kramer added that the Trump administration is withdrawing much battlefield support while offering business incentives to try to prod Russia, but it is unclear whether economic measures can change President Vladimir Putin’s calculus.

He flagged attacks by long-range aerial and sea drones on energy infrastructure as a wild card that could threaten Russian seaborne exports. Ben Hubbard, the Istanbul bureau chief, focused on Syria and the wider Middle East. He said Syria’s first year after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad has been mixed: cities lie in ruins and reconstruction funds are lacking, and the new government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa has struggled to unify the country, with outbreaks of sectarian violence and regional resistance to central control.

Key Topics

World, Ukraine, Syria, China, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky