“The war in Ukraine has become a contest between two hourglasses: one measuring how long Ukraine’s thinly stretched army can keep up the fight, and the other how long Russia’s economy can sustain the invasion without hurting the stability of Vladimir Putin’s regime,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“The problem for President Trump’s push for peace is that Putin is betting Ukraine’s hourglass will run out first, allowing him to impose a victor’s terms and win a place in Russian history alongside conquering czars.”

“That is why the Russian president has for months sidestepped Trump’s proposals to freeze the fighting with a territorial compromise that the U.S. thought would be attractive for Moscow. Instead, the Kremlin is sticking to its maximalist demands, which would effectively make Ukraine its vassal and change the balance of power in Europe.”

“Norway goes to the polls on Monday after an unusually close-fought and polarized election dominated by the cost of living, wealth taxes, oil fund investment in Israel and relations with Donald Trump,” The Guardian reports.

“There has been a surge in support for the populist rightwing Progress party led by Sylvi Listhaug, in what has been described by some as ‘the Maga-fication’ of Norwegian politics.”

“Russia struck Ukraine with the largest aerial bombardment of the 3½-year war, hitting a government building in the heart of the capital for the first time,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Russia fired 13 missiles and launched more than 800 attack drones, according to Ukraine’s air force, a record for the number of drones it has directed at Ukraine in a single night. Air defenses intercepted four of the missiles and nearly 500 drones.”

“Japan’s prime minister said he would resign, leaving his successor an inbox bulging with challenges including a relationship with the U.S. strained by tariffs and voter anger over sliding living standards,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“The downfall of Shigeru Ishiba, who led Japan for less than a year before his party turned on him over a run of election defeats, is the latest installment in a global drama that has seen mainstream parties hemorrhage support to populist upstarts as voters seek new answers to problems including inflation, immigration and lackluster economic growth.”