Russia’s invasion of Ukraine exactly one year ago caused a number of responses at the international level and in all spheres of world life.

As for those directly involved, the war claimed more than 300,000 dead and wounded in both warring camps, and millions were displaced, mostly Ukrainians.

However, this regional conflict has also affected the rest of the world in the areas of energy, economics and geopolitics. It exposed the limits of US military production, toughened Sino-Russian relations, and redefined America’s role as a leading power.

Resurgence of NATO

A few years ago, French President Emmanuel Macron called NATO “brain dead” and his then US counterpart, Donald Trump, threatened to leave. Most member states have ignored their commitment to increase defense spending and rebuild their military forces even after Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

As Daniel Michaels points out in the Wall Street Journal, the attack on Ukraine breathed life into the North Atlantic alliance.

Member states have pledged billions of dollars to defense and are in the process of implementing it. They have promised and are beginning to allocate billions of dollars in military spending. NATO operations in the east have been stepped up. Two countries that have insisted on a policy of neutrality for years have applied to join the alliance. And Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia strive to be close.

New Doctrine of War

Ukraine has successfully adopted commando and guerrilla tactics in a way that has fundamentally changed conventional military doctrine. Kyiv pushed back Russian ground forces and sank ships with small groups of soldiers and advanced Western weapons. He used drones to bomb Russian targets and map the landscape of the most distant potential targets. He created a software network to receive information from ordinary citizens and Russian social networks to determine the positions of Russia. And he used social media to provide logistical support as well as moral support from global public opinion.

America revived its international influence

The United States has assumed a global leadership role, playing a major role in supporting sanctions, export controls, currency restrictions, and energy interventions aimed at undermining the Russian economy. In addition, they provided billions of dollars of military aid.

Escalation of relations between Russia and China

The war in Ukraine has strained relations between the West’s main rivals, increasing Moscow’s economic dependence on Beijing. China has become a major buyer of cheap Russian gas and oil, as well as a supplier of goods that are no longer available in Russia due to Western sanctions. “Their collaboration is reminiscent of the Cold War era. But this time, Beijing is holding the reins, which confuses many in Moscow,” writes the Wall Street Journal.

Change in energy flow

Western countries no longer buy Russian oil, thereby benefiting from the producing countries of the Persian Gulf and the United States. The cessation of Russian natural gas deliveries to Europe created a need, and therefore a demand, from the US, making America the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas. Russian production has fallen and Moscow is increasingly dependent on sales from China and India, which in turn benefit from the Russian “discount”. The race to find new sources of oil has changed the US stance on Venezuela, lifting some of the sanctions to increase production in that country.

Rising inflation

The war in Ukraine has exacerbated global inflation by disrupting the flow of food, oil and natural gas. European gas prices jumped 275% as a direct result of the invasion, although they have since fallen. Grain prices also jumped after the start of the war, which squeezed the production of corn, wheat and sunflower oil in Ukraine. And while the prices of these products have since fallen, the general volatility has contributed to rising food prices around the world. Curbing inflation remains the main task of the world’s central banks and the main problem for investors.

Source: Wall Street Journal