Now into the second month of the invasion of Ukraine and the assessments need to dive deeper. The largest of these is a humanitarian crisis, as there always is with military operations, but with Putin’s forces there is reported kidnapping and rape, which is used to terrorize and intimidate populations not only the ones they are subjugating but others who see the actions much in the vein of Genghis Khan. There are reports of a looming human trafficking crisis of women and children, including the increased demand for Ukrainian mail order brides from Asian men.
The looming food crisis that will affect the world, the world’s largest exporter of sunflower seeds and oils, a major producer of corn and wheat cannot produce or export these products when it is fighting for its life. If another country steps in to meet the demand, will we have a major ecological crisis as more of the South American Rainforest is destroyed.
What about the ores that Ukraine exports, nickel a major component of batteries that may be a threat to the production of electric cars and solar panel batteries?
Germany is increasing its defense budget, celebrated now but it's not so long ago that this was a major fear among European nations. Is a stronger NATO showing its realization that the United States may not be a reliable ally if the Republicans regain power. What if Putin temporarily relented his ambitions on Ukraine and then put his efforts in to returning the Trump puppet to power? Putin has the advantage of time if he ends the current military operations. A chance for Putin’s forces to rest and rearm, a new offensive from within to destroy NATO using Trump and his Republican lackeys and then Putin can follow up with another offensive to eliminate Ukraine.
In the Pacific we know China is waiting and watching.