Diplomatic efforts between the US, Europe and Russia have failed dismally. Russia has invaded Ukraine, a sovereign European nation, with a massive military onslaught. An independent European country is being subjected to an attempt at recolonization. The world order created after 1989 has been disrupted and Europe is on the back foot. Europe and the United States are responding through sanctions and support to Ukraine. Some are calling this “Putin’s war”. How far will Russia go? Is the intent regime change in Kyiv? Is Ukraine the endgame? Will it end up in a quagmire with fierce civil resistance? Is the West’s response adequate to the challenge? Is this a second Cold War? And is Putin “isolating” Europe by strengthening his alliance with China? What is the future of Europe’s geopolitical promise of being a strategic actor?
The speakers were:
Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook, political scientist, Global Public Policy Institute, Berlin
Christine Ockrent, journalist and writer, senior producer France Culture radio
Serhii Plokhii, historian, Ukrainian Research Institute, Harvard University
Dariusz Stola, historian, Polish Academy of Sciences
Ivan Vejvoda, Acting Rector and Permanent Fellow of the IWM in Vienna moderated the discussion.
