As the world prepared to welcome 2026, Guardian cartoonist Ella Baron presented a sobering and powerful visual commentary that cut through the usual festive cheer. Her cartoon, published on New Year's Eve 2025, offered a stark reminder of the formidable political figures whose influence continues to shape the international stage.
A Stark Visual for a New Year
The illustration, characteristically sharp in its execution, moves beyond simple celebration. It centres on the enduring and ominous presence of two of the most dominant and controversial leaders of the era: former US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Baron's work masterfully frames these figures not as participants in the new year's festivities, but as colossal shadows looming over them.
This artistic choice is deeply symbolic. It suggests that the hopes and aspirations associated with a new beginning—2026—are fundamentally constrained or overshadowed by the existing geopolitical realities these men represent. Their legacy, policies, and ongoing actions are depicted as inescapable factors that will define the coming year, casting a pall over collective optimism.
Themes of Power and Permanence
Baron's cartoon is a potent piece of political satire that speaks to several key anxieties. It touches on themes of entrenched power, the cyclical nature of political threats, and the feeling that certain challenges transcend the turning of a calendar. The specific inclusion of Trump, a figure who has signalled a potential return to power, and Putin, engaged in prolonged conflict, creates a direct link between contemporary crises and the future.
The artwork serves as a critical lens on the state of global diplomacy and security as one year ends and another begins. It implicitly questions whether genuine renewal is possible while such dominant and divisive forces remain so prominently at the fore. The cartoon does not offer a hopeful glimpse of a fresh start; instead, it provides a clear-eyed, if pessimistic, assessment of the continuity of certain political storms.
Baron's Signature Commentary
Ella Baron is renowned for her ability to distill complex political sentiments into a single, impactful image, and this New Year's Eve offering is a prime example. By choosing to focus on Trump and Putin at this symbolic moment, she bypasses superficial well-wishing to engage with the underlying currents that will likely dominate headlines in 2026.
The cartoon acts as a visual editorial, challenging viewers to look beyond the fireworks and reflect on the persistent structures of power and conflict. It is a reminder that in politics, the new year often brings not a clean slate, but a continuation of existing narratives, amplified by the ambitions and actions of its most powerful protagonists.
Published as the final day of 2025 drew to a close, Baron's work set a thoughtful, cautionary tone for the year ahead. It stands as a significant piece of contemporary commentary, using the platform of the holiday to make a serious statement about leadership, legacy, and the shadows that stretch from one year into the next.
