Asia | Banyan

What the war in Ukraine means for Asia

Peace in East Asia hangs to a worrying extent on the outcome of the conflict

Illustration of East Asian flags entangled with the flag of Ukraine
Illustration: Lan Truong

When Russia invaded Ukraine it jolted the democracies of East Asia—Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, all allies of America. A trip to Japan suggests to Banyan that, as the conflict in Ukraine enters its third year, its implications for East Asian policymakers grow only starker. In Europe the talk is of whether Ukraine can hold on despite dwindling American financial support and the spectre of a second Trump presidency. The consequences for peace in Asia would be devastating if Ukraine loses. A win for President Vladimir Putin might embolden China to reshape the regional order on its terms.

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This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Moshi Tora? and other questions”

From the March 9th 2024 edition

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