Ukraine 2025: Portrait of an Unresolved International Crisis
Sena Gülşen tarafındanThe war that began in February 2022 with Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine remains one of the world's longest-running, unresolved international conflicts as of the end of 2025. Although initially thought to end quickly, the war, which has lasted over three years, is characterized by entrenched military conflicts, diplomatic impasses, profound economic damage, and widespread humanitarian crises. This demonstrates that the war's effects, both on the parties involved and globally, are becoming increasingly complex and persistent.
Militarily, the situation remains volatile in 2025. Eastern regions, particularly Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv, remain the areas of intense fighting. Russia has disrupted Ukraine's energy, transportation, and basic necessities by targeting civilians and infrastructure with long-range drone and missile strikes; major attacks in December 2025 left thousands of households in the capital Kyiv without gas and electricity, with reports of deaths and injuries. These bombings also complicated diplomacy, deepening the trust deficit between the parties at the negotiating table.
Despite diplomatic efforts continuing throughout 2025, peace has yet to be achieved. Negotiations mediated by the US and its allies are ongoing; while Zelenskyy's peace plan is claimed to be largely complete, Russia is reportedly still insisting on certain fundamental demands. These demands include control over Donbas and military and security guarantees for Ukraine. This situation is stalling negotiation processes between the parties and reducing the likelihood of a comprehensive ceasefire or peace agreement in the short term.
The economic impacts are among the lasting consequences of the war. Infrastructure damage, declining production, and widespread displacement have severely hampered economic growth in Ukraine. Assessments by UNESCO, the World Bank, and the United Nations estimate a reconstruction need of $524 billion over the next decade; this figure is several times the country's gross domestic product. The Ukrainian government is forced to allocate a significant portion of its national income to defense and security spending in its 2025 budget, while the budget deficit remains high.
The economic impacts are not limited to Ukraine. Russia is also feeling the long-term cost of the war. Russia's federal revenues are reportedly falling significantly in the first half of 2025, while plans are underway to reduce defense spending, increase taxes, and impose sanctions that put pressure on trade, banking, and technology. The European Union and other Western actors have decided to extend a comprehensive package of economic sanctions against Russia until 2026; these sanctions cover energy, finance, technology production, and foreign trade.
From a humanitarian perspective, the war continues to generate a major crisis in 2025. According to the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs, millions of Ukrainians are in need of humanitarian assistance, with healthcare, water and sewage infrastructure, and food security severely damaged, particularly in the eastern regions. A significant portion of the population has been forced to leave their homes; internal displacement and international refugee flows have thrown the social fabric of society into disarray. This situation has made living conditions even more difficult, especially for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, and people with disabilities.
The economic and humanitarian impacts of the war are also damaging Ukraine's social fabric. High unemployment, poverty rates, and the emigration of young people weaken the country's economic recovery capacity and necessitate a restructuring of social solidarity networks. On the one hand, the economic bottleneck created by infrastructure destruction, and on the other hand, the trauma of war, are generating long-term problems in many areas, from education to healthcare.
In conclusion, the Russia-Ukraine War remains an unresolved international conflict at the end of 2025. Military operations, diplomatic impasses, economic pressures, and deep humanitarian crises are unfolding simultaneously. This fact indicates that not only the two countries, but also regional security, the global economy, and the world social agenda will be shaped by this crisis for many years to come.
https://time.com/7342687/ukraine-russia-war-trump-zelensky-putin
https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-economic-surveys-ukraine-2025_940cee85-en.html
https://www.concern.org.uk/news/ukraine-crisis-explained-5-things-you-need-know-2025
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