Wars without exits: Gaza, Ukraine, and the breakdown of mediation

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon.

The war in Ukraine has reached a dangerous plateau — stalled on the ground, but escalating in tone.

A reported phone call between U.S. President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy raised the possibility of a potential strike on Moscow, shifting attention from diplomacy to deterrence.

Over in Gaza, Israel's operations inside Rafah intensify, even as ceasefire talks in Doha remain deadlocked over troop withdrawals and humanitarian control.

With negotiations stuck and civilian tolls mounting, international pressure is building — but without clear leverage.

So tonight, we ask: are these wars nearing resolution, or are we watching the normalization of endless conflict?

For answers to this, we connect to Lim Eun-jung, Professor of International Studies at Kongju National University. Welcome

Also joining us is Christophe Gaudin, Professor of Political Science at Kookmin University. Good to see you.

1. (LIM) With the Ukraine war in military stalemate and diplomatic channels barely functioning, we're seeing more bold rhetoric and riskier signaling from all sides. As a starting point — how would you characterize the current phase of this war?

2. (GAUDIN) Let's turn to that July 4th phone call — Trump asked Zelenskyy whether Ukraine could strike Moscow if given U.S. long-range missiles, and Zelenskyy reportedly said yes. What did that exchange reveal about how each side is framing this war now — and how might Moscow received this?

3. (LIM) Following a meeting with NATO, Trump backed a model where European allies would arm Ukraine first, with the U.S. resupplying them later. Is this Trump re-legitimizing NATO, or a way of limiting direct U.S. exposure while retaining control?

4. (LIM) Moving past individual diplomacy—Putin has shown no sign of backing down despite military losses and mounting tariffs. How much leverage does the West really have left, and is Russia's war economy more resilient than expected?

5. (GAUDIN) Israel's military strategy in Gaza and southern Lebanon continues to intensify despite growing international pressure. Do you see this as a calculated defiance of global norms — or a sign of Netanyahu losing strategic control?

6. (LIM) Meanwhile, ceasefire talks in Doha are stuck on two fronts: troop withdrawal and aid distribution. Prof.Lim, what's preventing even basic humanitarian compromise, and does the impasse reflect deeper failures in international mediation?

7. (GAUDIN) Despite months of mediation, neither side appears ready to concede core demands — Israel refuses full withdrawal, while Hamas won't release hostages without guarantees. At this point, do you see a realistic pathway toward ending the Gaza war?

8. (GAUDIN) Israel's proposed "humanitarian city" in Rafah — meant to relocate over 2 million Palestinians into a controlled zone near the Egyptian border — has drawn backlash as a violation of international law, with some calling it a de facto internment camp. How does this affect Israel's legitimacy, and what kind of precedent does it set for wartime displacement policies?

9. (LIM) Stepping back from both conflicts — has U.S. credibility as a peace broker diminished, strengthened, or simply shifted under Trump's second term?

10. (GAUDIN) And finally—with both wars locked in military deadlock and diplomacy fading, what meaningful role can the international community still play? Is there any realistic path — legal, economic, or humanitarian — that could help shift the momentum toward peace?