Geo-security dimensions of the war in Ukraine

Geo-security dimensions of the war in Ukraine  
08 June 2023 , 5:30pm @ Gala Theatre Durham  

The global significance of Ukraine has become blatantly obvious in the recent months. This event is the last in this academic year’s programme of the Durham University Ukrainian Talks series, organised jointly by Durham University, Zaporizhzhia National University and Durham County Council.

The debate will focus on geo-security considerations that have arisen due to the war in Ukraine. Similar to how the current open conflict is only a continuation of the ongoing war beginning to at least as early as the annexation of the Crimea in 2014, these alliances have in many ways been not new and long in the making.

Security concerns and the sharing of security information have often been key to the functioning of the western support of Ukraine, but some countries have proven to be more reluctant than others to share intelligence with Ukraine or to provide it with their defence systems. At the same time, many predictions regarding cyber warfare and drone use also turned out to be more complicated than previously expected and need to be critically rethought. NATO, national governments and international aid and development organisations continue to re-examine ways to help Ukraine with weapons, intelligence and, eventually, post-war reconstruction in a volatile political climate.

Will the western geo-strategic alliance supporting Ukraine endure? The roundtable will seek answers drawing on the panellists’ diverse expertise from Ukraine, East Central Europe, the Near East, broader Eurasia, NATO, and the US government.  

Panel members include: Dr Maryna Bessonova, Associate Professor of Law and International Relations, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University; Prof Anoush Ehteshami, Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah Chair in International Relations, Durham University; Bob Jensen, Senior Managing Director, Strat3 LLC, former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Dr Igor Kotsiuba, CARA Fellow, Durham University; Mark Pfeifle, former Deputy National Security Advisory for Strategic Communication and Global Outreach National Security Council, Deputy Assistant to the President of the United States. Chair: Dr Markian Prokopovych, Associate Professor of History, Durham University.