India, Aug. 21 -- The spree of diplomacy initiated by President Donald Trump to try and bring the Russia-Ukraine war to a close has unveiled a complex dynamic wherein structural factors outweigh individual leaders and the personal chemistry among them. It would be wishful thinking that, if only Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin could conjure up some magic through their uncanny mutual admiration, and then draw Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and regional bigwigs into a charmed circle, the worst war in Europe since 1945 might be halted.

The ugly reality is that Russian bombs and missiles are continuing to rain down on Ukraine even as Trump, Putin, Zelensky and European heads of government embarked on an extended exerc...