The war in Ukraine is progressing at three different speeds, and one of them will end before the others, which will determine the final outcome of the conflict. This is the central analysis that structures the entire military situation on the ground.
Ukraine is facing difficulties on two simultaneous fronts, while Russia only faces problems on one of them. This asymmetry is crucial to understanding the balance of forces on the ground and the prospects for each side.
Gouveia e Melo, the Portuguese admiral who has been a central figure in the organisation of Ukraine's naval and military defence, is mentioned as an important element in this strategic context. His experience has been decisive in how Ukraine attempts to balance the disadvantage it faces.
The three clocks referred to in the title represent three different chronologies that are running in parallel in the war. One of these clocks is closer to running out, and when it does, it will dictate the course of everything that follows in the conflict.
