Putin and Trump can’t win their wars. The rest of the world will suffer

In February 2022, [Vladimir Putin](https://inews.co.uk/topic/vladimir-putin?ico=in-line_link) embarked on a military campaign against [Ukraine](https://inews.co.uk/topic/ukraine?ico=in-line_link) he expected to last ten days. Four years later, [Donald Trump](https://inews.co.uk/topic/donald-trump?ico=in-line_link) launched Operation Epic Fury against [Iran](https://inews.co.uk/topic/iran?ico=in-line_link), which he also believed would last a mere ten days.

Both are now stuck in wars where success continues to elude them. Neither can claim to be winning – which for many means [they’re losing](https://inews.co.uk/opinion/trumps-building-himself-bunker-clear-knows-failing-4427052?ico=in-line_link). On Saturday, Trump said that an Iran peace deal was “largely negotiated”, with “final aspects and details” still being discussed, but it’s hard to envisage a deal that would look like a win for him.

Both leaders have [fallen victim to their own delusions](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/grand-scale-trumps-foolishness-laid-bare-4424857?ico=in-line_link) about the nature of modern warfare, particularly the kind they have unleashed. There is also a real prospect that both Putin and Trump face defeat, which will [impact much of the world](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/donald-trump-set-off-nuke-warning-signs-4373500?ico=in-line_link), the struggling south and [Europe](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/putin-plots-path-victory-after-trumps-threats-europe-4396868?ico=in-line_link) especially.

No wonder they are looking for [distractions](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/trump-using-ballroom-plan-test-loyalty-but-may-backfire-4430653?ico=in-line_link).

Trump is an egomaniac. Putin is a psychopathic despot. Two completely different types of autocrats… but the same danger.