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The Global Reach of the War in Ukraine

October 28, 2025
The Global Reach of the War in Ukraine
The Global Reach of the War in Ukraine

The Global Reach of the War in Ukraine

Sergey Radchenko, Jonathan Corrado, Hanna Notte, Eric Watkins, and Christopher Hernandez-Roy
October 28, 2025
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the war has had ripple effects around the world. We asked five experts to assess how the war has affected key regions beyond Europe — from East Asia to the Middle East and Africa to Latin America.Read more below.Sergey Radchenko Wilson E. Schmidt Distinguished Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International StudiesWhile Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has deepened Moscow’s ties with China, many of the underlying trends have been in evidence for the better part of the last three decades. Both powers share dissatisfaction with the U.S.-led global order, which they see as rigged against their interests and used to promote democratization and secure U.S. primacy through subversion and economic coercion. Their alternative vision remains vague but centers on reducing U.S. and European influence amid fierce contestation and a greater diffusion of power among global players. Economically, their relationship is complementary: Western sanctions on Russia have driven trade between them to over $240 billion, making it strategically vital to both. Moscow and Beijing also view Ukraine and Taiwan as interconnected fronts in a broader struggle against Western dominance. A Russian defeat in Ukraine would weaken China’s position over Taiwan, reinforcing Beijing’s tilt toward Moscow — support that Russia is likely to repay should conflict erupt in East Asia.Jonathan Corrado Director of Policy for The Korea Society and Lecturer of International and Public Affairs at Columbia UniversityPrior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, North Korea was beset by sanctions, reeling from pandemic isolation, and boxed out diplomatically. But when Moscow’s hunger for ammunition and manpower outpaced its domestic supply, it turned to Pyongyang for assistance. The renewed security alliance threw North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a lifeline that elevated the country to its strongest geopolitical position in decades. Kim is advancing

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Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the war has had ripple effects around the world. We asked five experts to assess how the war has affected key regions beyond Europe — from East Asia to the Middle East and Africa to Latin America.Read more below.Sergey Radchenko Wilson E. Schmidt Distinguished Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International StudiesWhile Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has deepened Moscow’s ties with China, many of the underlying trends have been in evidence for the better part of the last three decades. Both powers share dissatisfaction with the U.S.-led global order,

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