Did the Iran and Ukraine wars just merge into one? Martin Jay – Strategic Culture July 30, 2026Can Ukraine’s caretaker president Zelensky derail any possible ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran? The nightmare scenario of the Iran war merging with the Ukraine one just became a reality, as at least two ships in the Caspian Sea were recently hit by Ukraine, suspected of being part of Iran’s shadow fleet carrying weapons from Iran to Russia. But this time around it’s even harder than last time, as Iran has no patience whatsoever for vacuous talks. For Trump’s mercurial game with the Ukrainian president and the bigger questions over how much the U.S. could and should support the Ukraine war, the muddy water just got clearer.