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The world, then, is not on the brink of an unavoidable global war. But it is navigating a period of heightened risk, where multiple unresolved conflicts overlap and reinforce one another. The challenge for governments is not only deterring aggression, but managing uncertainty—keeping disputes contained, lines of communication open, and assumptions in check.
In this environment, stability depends less on dramatic breakthroughs and more on sustained, careful restraint. The absence of war should not be mistaken for the presence of peace, but neither should rising tension be confused with inevitability. The coming years will likely test whether diplomacy, deterrence, and caution can still outweigh fear, ambition, and miscalculation in a world growing steadily more volatile.
