Crisis Crossroads: Ukraine

Understanding the Global Effects of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

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Human Impact
Economic Impact
Geopolitical Impact
Impact on Asia
Impact on Other Regions
Voices from Congress
Most Recent and Additional Content

"Crisis Crossroads" highlights timely analysis by CSIS scholars on the evolving situation in Ukraine and its security, economic, energy, and humanitarian effects.

Human Impact

Spotlight on Damage to Ukraine’s Farms amid the Russia-Ukraine War

June 9, 2022 | Caitlin Welsh

High-resolution satellite imagery of attacks on Ukraine’s agriculture sector suggest that Russia is attempting to restrict Ukrainian civilians’ access to food and prevent Ukraine, an agricultural powerhouse, from producing and exporting food to global markets.

Justice in Ukraine May Be Slow, but Must Be Steady

April 8, 2022 | Marti Flacks

The world is demanding justice for the atrocities being committed in Ukraine. Achieving it will take both patience and determination.

Why Ukrainian Cities Need Humanitarian Corridors

March 8, 2022 | Benjamin Jensen

Creating humanitarian corridors in Ukraine will both address the humanitarian need and increase Ukrainian resilience in a protracted conflict.

The Struggle for Ukrainian Self-Determination and Identity

March 2, 2022 | Nicole Breland Aandahl

Any attempt to erase Ukrainian identity will fail and Ukrainian identity will endure, writes CSIS's Nicole Aandahl.

Will There Be Accountability for Russian Abuses in Ukraine?

February 28, 2022 | Marti Flacks

The Russian invasion of Ukraine could portend human rights abuses on a massive scale. Accountability won’t be easy, but it must be part of the international response.

Ukraine’s Regional Displacement Crisis

February 25, 2022 | Erol Yayboke

As many as 1.5 million people were displaced in Ukraine before the start of the Russian invasion. About 100,000 people are already moving within Ukraine due to the invasion, and this number is expected to rise significantly.

Economic Impact

International Business and Russia: A New Cold War or a Temporary Pause?

March 16, 2022 | William Alan Reinsch , Emily Benson

The CSIS Scholl Chair in International Business looks at how the private sector has responded to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and possible scenarios for resuming business there.

Cryptocurrency’s Role in the Russia-Ukraine Crisis

March 15, 2022 | Aidan Arasasingham , Gerard DiPippo

The CSIS Economics Program assesses whether crypto can be used to evade sanctions and shift funds in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

There Is No Time to Spare: Multilateral and Bilateral Economic Support to Ukraine

March 8, 2022 | Romina Bandura

The unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine will create a trail of economic destruction and human displacement. Donor countries and multilaterals should use existing tools and mechanisms to support Ukraine.

Economics Disrupted

March 1, 2022 | Matthew P. Goodman

The global economic outlook could darken further if Moscow retaliates with energy export restraints, cyberattacks, or seizure of Western assets in Russia.

Sanctions on Russia

March 1, 2022 | William Alan Reinsch

The Scholl Chair explores the economic ramifications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Using Foreign Aid to Respond to Russia’s Invasion

March 1, 2022 | Daniel F. Runde, Conor M. Savoy

Recognizing that Russia's plan to disrupt the current world order is focused on coercion and threats, the United States should offer a development alternative to maintain a free and whole Europe.

Geopolitical Impact

The Latest Aid Packages to Ukraine: New Systems, Trade-Offs, Mysteries, and the Long Game

August 26, 2022 | Mark F. Cancian

Recent military aid packages to Ukraine bring new capabilities while triggering some mysteries. They signal that U.S. support will continue for many months but may also signal that some U.S. weapon stocks are running low.

Latest Ukraine Package: More Artillery and the Beginnings of a New Navy

June 27, 2022 | Mark F. Cancian

The recently announced aid package to Ukraine provides patrol boats and continues to strengthen Ukrainian artillery. However, both the patrol boats’ limited capabilities and a lack of conventional munitions for HIMARS reduce the package’s impact.

Europe Needs Its Own Ukraine Assistance Act

June 24, 2022 | Max Bergmann

Europe needs to replace its sporadic ad hoc military support to Ukraine with a structured system that will not only sustain aid to Ukraine, but also activate Europe’s defense industry.

Aid to Ukraine Requires Increased Oversight

June 17, 2022 | Mark F. Cancian

The size and scope of U.S. aid to Ukraine is increasing—and with it, the need for oversight and accountability. Any corruption in handling this aid would undermine the bipartisan support that the aid has received. A special inspector general may be needed.

What Does $40 Billion in Aid to Ukraine Buy?

May 23, 2022 | Mark A. Cancian

The $40 billion aid package for Ukraine just passed by Congress provides vital support to keep the Ukrainian forces fighting—but it is not all for Ukraine, and it is not all for emergencies.

Destruction, Subversion, and the Long War

May 3, 2022 | Cynthia Cook

As the war in Ukraine continues, CSIS's Cynthia Cook argues that both sides have increasingly moved to cost-imposing strategies, and the war will end when one side decides that its costs are too great to bear.

How to Win the Battle in Eastern Ukraine

April 14, 2022 | Benjamin Jensen

Russian forces are preparing for a large battle in eastern Ukraine to defeat the Ukrainian army and use terrain as a bargaining chip at the negotiating table. Kyiv should transition from a defensive war and conduct localized counterattacks to limit Russia’s advance.

The Two Sides of Deterrence in Ukraine

March 30, 2022 | Benjamin Jensen

Ukraine is a triumph and failure for deterrence. NATO and Kyiv successfully confined the war to Ukraine but failed to prevent Russia from invading. Policymakers must use lessons from Ukraine to refine integrated deterrence in the upcoming National Defense Strategy.

NATO and the European Union Show Unity and Resolve in Brussels

March 29, 2022 | Pierre Morcos, Sean Monaghan

Last week’s summits confirmed the unity and resolve shown by the nations of NATO and the European Union in the face of Russia’s aggression of Ukraine. Read the latest from Pierre Morcos and Sean Monaghan.

The War in Ukraine: Meeting the Russian Challenge to NATO

March 3, 2022 | Anthony H. Cordesman

The Russian invasion of Ukraine underscores the need to revitalize the modernization and strength of NATO’s military forces.

Impact on Asia

Early Lessons for the United States from Russia’s Second Ukraine Invasion

March 4, 2022 | John Schaus

The conflict in Ukraine has upended assumptions about the international order. Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s invasion also offers lessons for other parts of the world to better prepare for future authoritarian disruptions, especially for the United States in Asia.

China’s Economy and Ukraine: All Downside Risks

March 3, 2022 | Scott Kennedy

The potential short-term risks for China’s economy emanating from the Ukraine crisis are all manageable, but the longer the time horizon, the greater are the dangers to China’s economy and its international influence.

The Ukraine Crisis and Asia

March 1, 2022 | Michael J. Green

In many respects, the next chapter in Asia is being written now on the streets of Kyiv.

On Ukraine, Beijing’s ‘All of the Above’ Strategy Is Coming to an End

March 1, 2022 | Jude Blanchette

China’s unwillingness to commit to condemnation for Russia’s actions in Ukraine undermines its stated role as a peacemaker; its recent alignment with Russia prior to the invasion could be a costly geopolitical mistake.

Ukraine and China’s Calculus for Use of Force

March 1, 2022 | Bonny Lin

The growing China-Russia relationship and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine raise fundamental concerns regarding China’s calculus for use of force.

India and the Ukraine Crisis

March 1, 2022 | Richard M. Rossow

India has managed to maintain close relations with Russia while dramatically improving strategic ties with the United States. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has made this position hard to maintain, but it should prompt Delhi to accelerate the broadening of its sources of key defense material.

Impact on Other Regions

Russian Invasion of Ukraine Should Force a Rethink about Russian Presence in the Americas

March 3, 2022 | Daniel F. Runde

Given the global revulsion surrounding Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Russia, governments in Latin America and the Caribbean should rethink their relationship with Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

Ukraine, the Middle East, and Hedging

March 1, 2022 | Jon B. Alterman

Jon Alterman explores how Middle Eastern governments have responded to Russia's invasion and why their responses have been tepid.

What Does Russia’s War in Ukraine Mean for Latin America and the Caribbean?

March 1, 2022 | Ryan C. Berg

Russia's behavior in its invasion of Ukraine illustrates the strategic threat posed by the survival and growth of authoritarian regimes throughout the Western Hemisphere.