University of Santo Tomas-Legazpi

A World on Edge:
The War in Ukraine
and Its Global
Implications

Balbin, Ivy Jane B.

1BSA1

Ronald Ralph Escobal

Instructor
With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, a significant global crisis with far-
reaching effects got under way. A humanitarian disaster has been brought about by the war,
which has killed thousands of Ukrainians and forced millions more to flee their homes. In
addition, the fight has increased geopolitical tensions, caused a severe economic depression,
and affected the world’s oil supplies.

The Humanitarian Crisis: Millions Forcibly Displaced

The war has unleashed a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale in Europe. Millions of
Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes, leaving behind everything they hold dear. The
United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates that over 14 million people have been
internally displaced within Ukraine, while over 7.7 million have fled to neighboring countries.
This mass displacement has placed an immense strain on humanitarian resources and
infrastructure, overwhelming host communities and leaving many Ukrainians struggling to
access basic necessities such as food, water, and shelter.

The economic downturn: A Global Ripple Effect

The war has unleashed a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale in Europe. Millions of
Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes, leaving behind everything they hold dear. The
United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates that over 14 million people have been
internally displaced within Ukraine, while over 7.7 million have fled to neighboring countries.
This mass displacement has placed an immense strain on humanitarian resources and
infrastructure, overwhelming host communities and leaving many Ukrainians struggling to
access basic necessities such as food, water, and shelter.
The economic downturn: A Global Ripple Effect

The war has sent shockwaves through the global economy, disrupting trade and supply chains,
and exacerbating existing vulnerabilities. The sanctions imposed on Russia, a major exporter of
energy and other commodities, have caused prices to soar, fueling inflation and putting a strain
on businesses and households around the world. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has
downgraded its global economic growth forecast for 2023, citing the war as a major factor. The
World Bank estimates that the war could push an additional 100 million people into extreme
poverty, disproportionately affecting developing nations already grappling with food insecurity
and poverty.
Energy Disruptions: A Looming Crisis
The war has severely disrupted global energy supplies, as Russia is a major exporter of oil and
gas. The reduction in Russian exports has led to a surge in energy prices, putting a strain on
businesses and households around the world. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has
warned that the war could lead to a global energy crisis, particularly in Europe, which relies
heavily on Russian gas imports. The European Union has been scrambling to diversify its
energy sources and reduce its reliance on Russia, but the transition will take time and significant
investment.

There is no simple way to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, which is a serious worldwide crisis with
wide-ranging effects. Though the path to peace will be difficult and drawn out, it is critical to
keep working towards a peaceful end to the conflict because the financial and humanitarian
consequences of war are too great to be borne.
The humanitarian and economic consequences of war are too great to be endured, therefore
even though the path to peace will be long and difficult, it is crucial to keep working towards it.

The roots of the war in Ukraine can be traced back to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991,
which left Ukraine as an independent nation. Russia has long viewed Ukraine as part of its
sphere of influence and has been resistant to Ukraine’s efforts to strengthen its ties with the
West (Izeldin, 2023)

The war in Ukraine is a complex conflict with a long history. The following are some of the key
factors that have contributed to the conflict.

In the months leading up to the invasion, Russia began to mass troops on the Ukrainian border.
The United States and its allies warned that Russia was planning an invasion, and they imposed
a series of sanctions on Russia in an attempt to deter the attack. However, Russia did not back
down, and on February 24, 2022, it launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The consequences of the war are not limited to Ukraine. The conflict has also had a significant
impact on the rest of the world. It has heightened geopolitical tensions between Russia and the
West, and it has raised fears of a wider conflict. The war has also caused energy prices to rise,
and it has disrupted supply chains. This has led to inflation and economic hardship in many
countries (Ellison, 2023)

The war in Ukraine is a tragedy that has caused immense suffering and destruction. Millions of
Ukrainians have been displaced from their homes, thousands have been killed, and the
country’s infrastructure has been severely damaged. The war has also had a significant impact
on the rest of the world, causing energy prices to rise, disrupting supply chains, and
exacerbating geopolitical tensions.

Despite the immense challenges, there is still hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The
international community must continue to work together to support Ukraine and to pressure
Russia to end its aggression. A negotiated settlement that addresses the underlying causes of
the conflict is the only way to achieve lasting peace.

The people of Ukraine have shown incredible resilience in the face of adversity. They deserve to
live in peace and security, and the international community must not give up on the fight for a
just and lasting peace.

We can hope that the war in Ukraine will end soon and that the Ukrainian people will be able to
rebuild their lives.
An enormous amount of sorrow and devastation have been brought about by the tragic war in
Ukraine. Along with thousands of fatalities and massive infrastructural damage, millions more
Ukrainians have been forced from their homes. Along with raising oil costs and upsetting supply
networks, the war has had a major effect on the rest of the world, escalating geopolitical
tensions.

There remains hope for a nonviolent conclusion to the conflict in spite of the daunting obstacles.
As it continues to support Ukraine and put pressure on Russia to stop its aggression, the
international community must unite. The only path towards a sustainable peace is a negotiated
settlement that takes care of the root causes of the conflict.

The Ukrainian people have proven to be incredibly resilient in the face of hardship. The
international community must continue to struggle for a just and sustainable peace because
they deserve to live in safety and peace.

It is our hope that the war in Ukraine will soon come to an end and that the people of Ukraine
will be allowed to start over.
 References
Ellison, 2023 The war in Ukraine
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14682745.2023.2162329 (Retrieved
on December 6, 2023)

Izeldin, 2023. The impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on global financial markets
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S105752192300114X
(Retrieved on December 6, 2023)