With the news that Russia has now gone ahead and launched a full scale invasion of Ukraine, it’s hard to see when, and how, this sad state of affairs will be resolved. However, the immediate and short term impacts of these actions are clear: large numbers of people will be needlessly killed, a huge refugee crisis will be created as thousands attempt to flee fighting and economic hardship will be inflicted on a grand scale. Add in existing gas supply problems, rising inflation and a somewhat un-coordinated response from the West and you have all the ingredients of a major and spreading, international disaster.
Is this really what the Russian people want? Will Putin stop at the Ukrainian border or does he have ambitions further to the West?
China will watch the responses to its ally’s actions over the coming weeks, before taking the decision to invade Taiwan in a similar ‘land grab’.
These are dark and troubling times.
Dystonia Girl 