Consequently, red lines lead inevitably to spheres of influence that other nations are supposed to respect―including a U.S. sphere in Latin America, a Russian sphere in Europe, ...

Revealingly, red lines are the mirror image of an earlier metaphor used at the start of the war. When Russia looked strong, many proposed giving Mr. Putin an offramp to persuade him to stop fighting.

Don't joke about our red lines. They perfectly know where they are." Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov holds a press briefing at the United Nations headquarters on July 17, 2024 ...