The Russia-Ukraine War’s Implications for Global Security

On 24 February 2022, Russian troops crossed the borders of Ukraine. What followed was a broad outcry regarding the aggression, and the provision of massive political, military, and moral support to Ukraine. Western states aligned themselves and strongly condemned Russia’s actions. Yet the extent to which the war between Russia and Ukraine is actually transforming global politics and security is not obvious.

Does the war just amplify trends that existed prior to its outbreak? Is it simply a result, and not a cause, of current ongoing transformations? Are its implications systemic and far-reaching both geographically and temporally, or are they overhyped and will soon be treated as a regional issue of European security? What concrete effects does the war have on the various domains of international peace and security?

Hence the need for a broad analytical lens that both focuses on the necessary context while paying careful attention to details. Now, a few months after the outbreak of the war, this paper offers a broad thematic coverage of the war’s implications on various aspects of global security.

After introductory reflections, this paper challenges policymakers’ use of theoretical concepts and thinking. The paper then analyses the war’s implications theme by theme, covering geopolitics and outer space, international security law, the future of warfare, organised crime, arms control, sanctions, cyber-related issues, narratives and discourse, and diplomacy and dialogue. The last chapter presents the overarching findings and concluding reflections.