2024 Dialogue Recordings

February 22: Ukraine's Fight: Reflections Two Years On

Associate Professor of Economics Oksana Nezhyvenko

A Mansfield Dialogue with Dr. Oksana Nezhyvenko, updating us two years after the attack on Ukraine by Russia with details on Ukraine's fight and the conditions in her home country.

2022 Dialogue Recordings

March 3: Russia and Ukraine

Associate Professor of Economics Oksana Nezhyvenko

Oksana delivered her first Mansfield Dialogue from a Polish hotel room shortly after leaving Ukraine in the wake of Russia's invasion in February 2022.

April 5: Context and Impacts

Diplomat Chris Smith, author of Ukraine’s Revolt, Russia’s Revenge

As the world's attention is focused on the tragic effects of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, it is valuable to understand the complex political history of Ukraine and Russia's relations. While Christopher Smith worked as a diplomat in Ukraine, he was witness to major events in Ukraine's fight for democracy that laid the foundation of today's war. In this session, Smith will provide context behind Euromaidan protests, the Revolution of Dignity, the annexation of Crimea, and the outbreak of the Donbas War in 2014 to provide insight into the impacts we witness today. 

April 12: The State of International Democracy, Reasons for Hope and for Concern

Mansfield Ethics and Public Affairs Director Dr. Rob Saldin

For years, liberal democracy at home and abroad has suffered from a crisis of confidence and been on the defensive amidst a revival of authoritarianism. Those perceptions of weakness clearly played a role in Putin's decision to launch his latest war. While the situation in Ukraine remains dire and warning signs about the broader health of democracy certainly remain, the degree of unity and purpose in response to Putin's unprovoked attack--both internally and domestically--offer hope for a renewed commitment to liberal democracy. 

April 19: Global Economic Impacts

Economist Joanna Shelton, Former Deputy Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

The war in Ukraine is resulting in a tragic loss of life and human suffering, as well as massive damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure. In addition to regional impacts, this session will address global economic consequences, including impacts to energy and commodity prices, financial markets, and inflationary pressures.

April 26: Geopolitical Implications of Putin's War Against Ukraine

Senior Mansfield Fellow Dr. Steven Levine & James Compton, UM Graduate Student in the Department of History

Vladimir Putin's unprovoked war against Ukraine has triggered a geopolitical earthquake that has shaken the world like nothing else since World War II. Its aftershocks will likely continue for years. Adopting a global perspective, this session will survey the short-term impacts and possible long-term consequences of the war on global geopolitical alignments, the global economy, and the overriding question of war and peace – including an analysis of the war from a military standpoint.