Beijing’s influence on the Ukraine crisis is limited. Neither Washington nor NATO should nurse unrealistic expectations. Relations between China and Russia should not be viewed through the lens of Ukraine. It’s in everyone’s interest to stop the crisis from escalating into a global confrontation.

The United States is the biggest winner in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It’s using it to beef up and modernize its own military and economy. Everyone else has lost. No end is in sight, but one thing is certain: The longer the conflict lasts, the more the U.S. benefits.

The U.S./NATO-led proxy war in Ukraine is aimed against Russia, and is not for the good of Ukraine. It is an unwarranted war that could penalize global economic prospects for years to come, and any escalation will only make a terrifying status quo far worse.

Russia’s irrational struggle has accelerated a process in which nearby countries are induced to turn against it. Making war is a costly way of fighting. Our country needs to learn how to win without fighting through the use of soft methods.

It is the mission of the think tank to stay on high alert against potential risks and explore possible solutions to challenges. The international system is currently undergoing the most dramatic changes since the end of the Cold War. The peaceful and open international environment, which has been taken for granted over the last four decades, is now overshadowed by formidable challenges. In this context, it is the think tank’s responsibility to explore and identify external security risks that might pose threats to China in the months and years ahead.

The United States, sees strategic parallels between the situations in Ukraine and Taiwan. It thinks lessons learned from Ukraine may serve as a model for dealing with China on Taiwan. But the differences are significant. To “Ukrainize” Taiwan is to provoke war rather than foster peace.

The occupation of Ukraine by hostile Russian forces was one of the primary global focuses last year. The great powers entangled in the conflict touch almost every region of the international community and have pushed Russia and China closer together.

The United States lacks the strength and influence to simultaneously contain both China and Russia. As with the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, its policies will place it in strategic overdraft and lead to more strategic errors.

The thought of full-blown war with China has become mainstream in the aftermath of Russia’s Ukraine invasion. A potent mix of simmering animosity and economic concerns have created a heated climate that both sides need to take a step back from before the U.S. or China falls victim to the intoxicating pull of escalation.

It is clear that China has little chance of changing Russia’s hard-line position in its war with Ukraine. Nor can it solve the “Russia problem” in the West. It can only act as it sees fit to safeguard the interests of the Chinese people.