Carl Bildt, former prime minister of Sweden, shares his perspective on European politics from Bodrum, Turkey.

What is happening with the war in Ukraine?

Well, most spectacular was, of course, the Ukrainian attack against the bridge over the Kerch Strait, linking Russia proper and Crimea that the Ukrainians carried out on Mr. Putin's 70th birthday. The mood must have been very somber in the Kremlin when they saw the videos of that particular attack. But Mr. Putin is likely to escalate. I think he will escalate until he collapses. And I hate, have to say that I fear that also nuclear weapons at some point in time might be part of his efforts in that particular respect.