President Donald Trump's approach to ending wars in the Middle East and Ukraine seems to prioritize giving the stronger party what it wants and pushing the weaker to accept it. While some view this as hardnosed realpolitik, the outcome of conflicts is not always determined by military power alone. Trump's actions have also complicated any unified theory of his approach, as he has threatened new sanctions against Russia and negotiated directly with Hamas. The limits of military power have been debated for centuries, and the United States' most successful diplomatic efforts have tended to involve a more even-handed approach.