Ukraine war, implications dominate discussion at ministerial roundtable

Focus on global consequences, such as inflationary pressures and supply shocks

- Lim Min Zhang

The war in Ukraine and its implications dominated a roundtable discussion among 27 visiting ministers and their representatives at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference yesterday.

Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, who hosted the session, said there was significant discussion on the conflict that started in February, including its global consequences, such as inflationary pressures and supply shocks.

These aftershocks also came as a result of another “epochal, once-in-a-century” event – the Covid-19 pandemic, he told reporters in an interview after the roundtable.

The roundtable is a regular feature of the Shangri-La Dialogue, held this weekend at the Shangri-La Hotel after a break of two years owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Ng said that there was a realisation of what a continued war in Ukraine would mean for the world, including the price Ukraine, Russia and Europe have to pay.