A little over two years ago, COVID-19 became a textbook case of a strategic shock, or a black swan event — an unexpected occurrence that disrupts existing trends and makes significant changes to the trajectory of world affairs.
Now, much of the world is facing yet another strategic shock. This time, it comes in the form of an act of aggression with global implications.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to tectonic shifts in the strategic environment around the world, and Northeast Asia is no exception. It is easy to say that Russia’s wanton breach of the rules-based international order has already reshaped the political, military and economic landscape for each country in the region — but the question is, how?