A risky game of sanctions

Global impact: A woman cooking over a campfire after gas supply to her building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Popasna was cut. The Ukraine crisis could also alter Asian governments' perception of the political risks attached to large-scale gas imports from Russia. - AFP

THE crisis in Ukraine is relevant to Asia, both politically and in terms of energy security.

Politically, it illustrates the fact that economic interdependence may not prevent states taking decisive action if they feel that core national security interests are at stake in a dispute.