The Russian invasion of Ukraine is in its fifth month. The invasion is illegal – it violates the territorial integrity of a UN member nation, and it goes against the norms of the post-war liberal international order. The nations of the world are not united in response to Russia’s aggression; while Western countries have condemned the invasion and imposed sanctions on Russia, many non-Western countries have not. Yet the war and the reaction to it are causing significant economic and social impacts worldwide. To discuss:
- What are the political and economic dynamics that have led nations not to call out Russia for its invasion of Ukraine?
- What can the US government do to convince “fence-sitters” that they can balance their own interests with the American and European drive to isolate Russia?
- What could be the long-term effects of the different sides taken by countries (i.e. support Ukraine, neutral, support Russia)?
The following resources provide background for our discussion:
- The West vs. the Rest. Foreign Policy, 2 May 2022, https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/05/02/ukraine-russia-war-un-vote-condemn-global-response/, or see the pdf version attached.
- The Russia-Ukraine War: Do the West and the Rest disagree? Panel Discussion at World Economic Forum, 27 May 2022, https://youtu.be/1C8wspuji7U (45 min)
- Biden Races to Expand Coalition Against Russia but Meets Resistance, NY Times, 11 June 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/11/us/politics/russia-biden-sanctions.html, or see the pdf version attached.
- The U.S. Can’t Force the Rest of the World to Support Ukraine. Here’s Why, Politico, 25 May 2022, https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/05/25/ukraine-sidelines-regional-not-global-conflict-00034793