For most of us, that was a very distant and absurd idea. While the EU (European Union), the US (United States) and other states are adopting a raft of unprecedented sanctions against Russia, the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine is taking its course. My thoughts are with the Ukrainian people and their immeasurable suffering.
And indeed, this crisis comes immediately in the wake of the pandemic, with its risks, challenges and unexpected workload, such as the development of new vaccines within a very short space of time. Now geopolitical complexities have gained the upper hand, bringing with them economic consequences. For instance, energy prices, which were already strained, are continuing to rise, producing high volatility in financial markets.