Russia's War in Ukraine: Identity Politics in the New Great Power Struggle

On 24 February 2022 Russia began a military invasion of Ukraine which marked a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict that had started in 2014. It is the largest military conflict in Europe since World War II and is quickly changing the geopolitical landscape. Europe must find its new role vis-à-vis other global actors, taking into account the dangers that large-scale military confrontation and power politics might have for the liberal script.

Jan C. Behrends, Professor of Eastern European History at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder), Carolina de Stefano, Adjunct Professor in Russian History and Politics at Luiss University, Rome, and Mirko Kruppa, Head of Division on Domestic Public Diplomacy at the German Federal Foreign Office in Berlin, will elaborate the question in how far the fall of the Soviet Union has influenced Russia’s antagonism towards the West and which role identity and values play in this conflict. Moreover, questions of public opinion, disinformation and manipulation will be explored. This will be followed by a Q&A session with the panelists.
Opening remarks by Arnaud Leconte, Economist, Co-Head of the Joint Masters in Global Economic Governance and Public Affairs (GEGPA) and EU Trade & Climate Diplomacy (EUDIPLO), CIFE .
The debate will be moderated by Tatjana Kuhn, Scientific Associate in the GEGPA/EUDIPLO programmes and Programme Manager of the Overseas University Programmes at CIFE. 

Wednesday 29 March 2023
18.00 - 19.30 CEST 
Hybrid Webinar: at CIFE Berlin and via Zoom
Attendance is free of charge, but registration is required. 

Jan C. Behrends
Jan Claas Behrends is Professor of Eastern European History at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder).
His research focusses on Stalinism, propaganda, public discourse, violence and wars in the Soviet and post-Soviet space. He is regarded as a leading expert on the history of Soviet and Russian security services.

Carolina de Stefano
Carolina de Stefano is a researcher and adjunct professor in Russian History and Politics at Luiss University and an Associate at EHESS in Paris and the Higher School of Economics in Saint Petersburg. Her research focuses on Russia's contemporary history, politics and ethnic politics. She is currently working on a monograph on Moscow's management of interethnic conflicts and tensions in the years of collapse of the Soviet Union. Her recent publications appeared in the Russian Review and the Journal of Eurasian Studies.  

Mirko Kruppa
Mirko Kruppa is Head of Division on Domestic Public Diplomacy at the German Federal Foreign Office in Berlin. He is an expert on the post-Soviet and Sino-cultural sphere. Previously, he held the position of Chairman of the Staff Council at the German Federal Foreign Office for two years. From 2017 until 2019 he was the Head of the Political Section at the European Union Delegation in Moscow. Earlier, he had been posted to Almaty (Kazakhstan), Chengdu (China), Taipei (Taiwan, R.O.C.) and Pretoria (South Africa). He has held positions at the Federal Foreign Office since 2001, covering Russia, Central Asia, China/Taiwan, Ukraine and Belarus, where he worked both on political dossiers and project work.