The impact the war in Ukraine has made on the world can be — and already is — the subject of extensive research and surveys.
Here is a brief overview of major shifts in global politics, security, and economics. And yes: you have been affected by the Russian aggression even if you are miles away from Ukraine.
The End of Paper Guarantees
After the collapse of the U.S.S.R., Ukraine inherited the world’s second-largest nuclear arsenal. However, it agreed to nuclear disarmament and reduced its military capability in exchange for security guarantees from the Russian Federation, the United States, and the United Kingdom under the Budapest Memorandum. Twenty years later, the withdrawn weapons were used against Ukraine by one of the signatory countries during a full-scale military invasion. This signaled to the world that a strong military and advanced weaponry were the only true guarantees of sovereignty.
Wartime Economy
The war in Ukraine prompted governments to reassess their allocations for defense and the military-industrial complex. According to The Military Balance 2025, global defense spending grew by 7.4%, reaching $2.46 trillion, up from $2.24 trillion in 2023. In 2024, average global defense spending rose to 1.9% of GDP, compared to 1.8% in 2023 and 1.6% in 2022.
Arms Race
For the first time since the late 1980s, Western countries have launched a modernization effort for medium-range missile systems. The war in Ukraine provided the first opportunity to field-test drones and significantly accelerated the development of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Global Security Architecture Crisis
Finland (2022) and Sweden (2024) joined NATO, ending a 70-year period of neutrality. NATO remains a deterrence tool against aggression—but for how long?
Return of Grassroots Armies
France and Serbia have reinstated compulsory military service. Germany is preparing to restore mandatory conscription. Denmark is introducing compulsory military service for women. Greece is planning to expand its system of mandatory military training for the population. Latvia reinstated conscription in 2023. Lithuania introduced partial conscription in 2015, a year after Russia’s illegal occupation of Crimea. Estonia extended the duration of compulsory military service following the full-scale invasion.
A New Technological Level of Combat
The experience of the Ukrainian theater of operations is unmatched by any other military conflict in history. The massive deployment of drones, robotic systems, and light aircraft, along with the invention of sea drones and the modernization of surveillance systems, has led to a drastic reevaluation of military strategy. The new rules of warfare are being written along the front lines in Ukraine.
International Law Crisis
International humanitarian law, which has regulated the ethical principles of warfare for over a century, is facing its greatest crisis since its establishment. The crimes committed in Bucha, Izium, and Olenivka Colony, along with dozens of other war crimes on the battlefield, have yet to be properly investigated and punished. This failure emboldens war criminals and demonstrates a state of total impunity.
Ecocide as a weapon
For the first time in decades, a deliberate act of ecocide is taking place in Europe. The destruction of the Kakhovka HPP Dam has resulted in one of the most devastating war-induced ecological disasters in history. Almost one-third of Ukrainian territory remains uninhabitable due to ongoing hostilities and the "scorched earth" tactics employed by Russian forces. Additionally, Ukraine is one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world, with demining efforts expected to take years. This situation endangers both people and wildlife.
