These are the audio recordings for Kennan Institute public events held at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. More information about the individual events and upcoming meetings can be found here: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/program-events/Kennan%20Institute/153. For questions or requests, please email kennan@wilsoncenter.org. 

Kennan Institute Events

According to UN Women, women serve as heads of state in only 22 countries. However, 2020 was a crucial year for women in politics in Eurasia: in Moldova, Maia Sandu was elected president, in Belarus, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya was hailed as the primary opposition candidate against Aleksandr Lukashenko, in Ukraine, the percentage of female MPs was double that of the past parliament, and in Russia, a new generation of women were running for office and promoting important political agendas, despite the lack of competitive politics in the country. In conversation with Jill Dougherty, experts Maryna Rudenko, Katsiaryna Shmatsina, and Valeriya Utkina discussed how female leadership has evolved in Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia and what obstacles women still face in holding office.

03/25/2021 - Women's Political Leadership in Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine

In many ways, the reaction to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the turbulent decade that followed still influences the U.S.-Russia relationship. In light of the forthcoming 30th anniversary of the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Kennan Institute hosted a two-day event examining the differing American and Russian experiences of the 1990s and the immediate post-Soviet experience.

Conference participants engaged in a balanced conversation that addressed the highs and lows of this crucial decade and how it continues to influence present-day developments. By focusing on the individual experiences of our speakers with backgrounds in journalism, academia, policy, law, and business, the discussion offered a personal touch for both generations that lived and worked in Russia in the period and to a younger generation who did not experience the decade.

Conference Program:
The conference was opened by Former Kennan Institute Director Blair Ruble on Wednesday, March 31, who discussed scholarly exchanges and the new interaction between Russian and American scholars in the 1990s. The first day’s panel included American speakers who were on the ground in the 1990s and remain engaged with Russia. The U.S. panel included Jill Dougherty, Amb. Ken Yalowitz, Randy Bregman, and Andrew Kuchins, who addressed their experiences in journalism, the U.S. government, the business community, and the promotion of civil society.  

Day 1 Speakers:

Randy Bregman - Senior Counsel, Dentons

Jill Dougherty - Global Fellow; Former CNN Foreign Affairs Correspondent

Andrew Kuchins - President , American University of Central Asia 

Introduction:
Blair A. Ruble - Distinguished Fellow; Former Wilson Center Vice President for Programs (2014-2017); Director of the Comparative Urban Studies Program/Urban Sustainability Laboratory (1992-2017); Director of the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies (1989-2012) and Director of the Program on Global Sustainability and Resilience (2012-2014)

Moderator:
William Pomeranz - Deputy Director, Kennan Institute

03/31/2021 - Day 1 | Reappraising the "Wild" 90s in Russia: Looking Back After 30 Years

In many ways, the reaction to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the turbulent decade that followed still influences the U.S.-Russia relationship. In light of the forthcoming 30th anniversary of the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Kennan Institute hosted a two-day event examining the differing American and Russian experiences of the 1990s and the immediate post-Soviet experience.

Conference participants engaged in a balanced conversation that addressed the highs and lows of this crucial decade and how it continues to influence present-day developments. By focusing on the individual experiences of our speakers with backgrounds in journalism, academia, policy, law, and business, the discussion offered a personal touch for both generations that lived and worked in Russia in the period and to a younger generation who did not experience the decade.

Conference Program:
The second panel on April 1 adddressed the Russian experience of the 1990s and how Russians now view the Western guidance that was provided. Was it realistic? Did the westerners understand the complexity of dismantling communism and establishing a new political and economic system? We were joined by prominent Russian politicians, journalists, and commentators, including Olga Malinova, Sergey Parkhomenko, Mikhail Fishman, Andrei Kozyrev, and Ekaterina Mishina.

Day 2 Speakers:

Olga Malinova - Former Short-Term Scholar, Kennan Institute; Chief Research Fellow, Institute of Scientific Information for Social Sciences, Russian Academy of Sciences, and Professor, Higher School of Economics

Ekaterina Mishina - Independent Legal Scholar

Sergey Parkhomenko - Senior Advisor, Kennan Institute; Journalist, "Echo of Moscow" Radio; Former Editor-in-Chief, Itogi, Vokrug Sveta

Andrei Kozyrev - Distinguished Fellow; Former Foreign Minister of Russia, 1991-1996

Mikhail Fishman - Russian Journalist and Filmmaker

Moderator:
William Pomeranz - Deputy Director, Kennan Institute

04/01/2021 - Day 2 | Reappraising the "Wild" 90s in Russia: Looking Back After 30 Years

This year marks Ukraine’s 30th anniversary since its independence and transition toward a democratic system and a market economy. As part of our forthcoming book titled From "the Ukraine" to Ukraine: A Contemporary History, 1991-2021, the Kennan Institute asked several experts to examine this 30-year history of Ukraine’s economic and energy sector development. In this panel, experts who contributed to the book project discussed how Ukraine has managed the shift from a command economy to a relatively free market as well as the major achievements and shortcomings of this transition. They also examined the growth of the private sector and energy market and how this has influenced economic and political developments in Ukraine over time.

Speakers:
Margarita M. Balmaceda - Former Fellow; Professor, School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Seton Hall University

Andrian Prokip - Senior Associate, Ukraine; Energy Expert, Ukrainian Institute for the Future

Ilona Sologoub - CEO and Editor, VoxUkraine

Discussant:
Mykhailo Minakov - Senior Advisor; Editor-in-Chief, Focus Ukraine Blog

Moderator:
Matthew Rojansky - Director, Kennan Institute

04/06/2021 - Ukraine’s Economic Development: A 30-Year History

April 12 is the UN's International Day of Human Space Flight. Officially celebrated in Russia as the Cosmonautics Day, in 2021 it marked 60 years since Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space. This Soviet accomplishment came at the height of the Cold War and not only affected the bilateral relationship, but also inspired American and Soviet citizens alike. Despite their fierce competition, the United States and the Soviet Union also managed to identify opportunities for cooperation in the exploration of outer space, which culminated in the joint Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975. Today, when bilateral tensions are high again, space remains one of the few remaining areas of productive interaction between Russia and the U.S. In this panel, our experts considered the enduring legacy of Yuri Gagarin’s flight and its effects on popular culture and scientific innovation in the two countries, and discussed the dynamic of space competition and collaboration since that flight.

Speakers:
Slava Gerovitch - Lecturer, Department of Mathematics, MIT

Cathleen Lewis - Curator, International Space Programs and Spacesuits, Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum

Asif Siddiqi - Professor, Department of History, Fordham University

Moderator:
Joseph Dresen - Senior Program Associate, Kennan Institute

04/13/2021 - The Soviet Union Leaps Forward: The 60th Anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's Space Flight

Nearly sixty years after the Cuban missile crisis and thirty years after the end of the Cold War, today’s leaders appear capable of repeating the dangerous precedents of the past. In order to better understand and manage the major nuclear challenges of the 21st century, the lessons of the past should be considered. Serhii Plokhii’s new book, Nuclear Folly: A History of the Cuban Missile Crisis, offers an international perspective on the crisis, tracing the tortuous decision-making that produced and then resolved it. In this book talk, he illustrated the drama and anxiety of those tense days, drawing on a range of Soviet archival sources and White House tapes, and explained how to grapple with the problems posed in the present.

Speaker:
Serhii Plokhii - Former Short Term Scholar; Mykhailo Hrushevsky Professor of Ukrainian History, Harvard University

Moderator:
Jill Dougherty - Global Fellow; Former CNN Foreign Affairs Correspondent

04/21/2021 - Book Talk: Nuclear Folly

In the past 70 years, the relationship between India and the Soviet Union, and now Russia, has historically been stable and mutually beneficial. However, cracks are beginning to appear. Russia’s growing alignment with China, a major rival of India, is proving to be a sticking point. There is also growing anxiety in Moscow over New Delhi’s deepening security ties with Washington, both bilaterally and through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. Additionally, Russia appears to be increasing its relations with Pakistan, a potential concern for India. At the same time, Russia is the largest arms supplier to India which has purchased the S-400 missile system, much to the consternation of the United States. How will India manage relations with Russia as Russia grows closer to a more assertive China, while at the same time balancing its growing ties with the United States and U.S. allies?

On April 22, 2021, Nandan Unnikrishnan, Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, joined the Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute and Asia Program for a conversation on the current status and future trajectory of India-Russia relations.

Speakers:
Nandan Unnikrishnan - Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation

Michael Kugelman - Deputy Director and Senior Associate for South Asia, Asia Program

Moderator:
Matthew Rojansky - Director, Kennan Institute

04/22/2021 - Global Perspectives | Indian-Russian Relations

ASEAN member states find themselves on the frontline of U.S.-China competition. Russia’s involvement in Southeast Asia complicates an easy characterization of Russia-China alignment and speaks to its pursuit of its own strategic and economic interests in the region. In Vietnam, Russia has long enjoyed close ties to the ruling regime, and Russian oil firm Rosneft operates an oil well within waters that China claims fall inside its “nine dash line.” In the Philippines, Russia has worked closely with President Rodrigo Duterte and actively considered joint energy development projects in the South China Sea. Elsewhere, Russia serves as a significant arms supplier for some of the region’s militaries, and it has recently come under fire for its acceptance of Myanmar’s military takeover. What drives Russia’s renewed interest in Southeast Asia? How will Russia manage its ties to both China and its partners in the South China Sea? Will Russia continue to expand its involvement in the region beyond economic and security ties?

Dr. Amy Searight, Senior Associate for Asia with CSIS, joined the Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute and Asia Program to discuss Russia’s role in Southeast Asia and its future trajectory.

Speakers:
Amy Searight - Senior Associate for Asia, Center for Strategic and International Studies 

Lucas Myers - Program Associate, Asia Program

Moderator:
Abraham Denmark - Director, Asia Program

04/27/2021 - Global Perspectives | Southeast Asian-Russian Relations

Emil Draitser spent a decade contributing to Crocodile, the major Party-sponsored satire magazine known for its sharp-tongued essays and pointed cartoons. After he got in trouble for criticizing an important Soviet official, he began weighing the heavy decision of whether to emigrate. In this book talk about his memoir In the Jaws of the Crocodile, Draitser explored what it means to be a satirist in a country lacking freedom of expression. He provided a window into the lives of a generation of artists who were allowed to poke fun, as long as they toed a narrow, state-approved line.

Speaker:
Emil Draitser - Author

Moderator:
William Pomeranz - Deputy Director, Kennan Institute

05/04/2021 - Book Talk: In the Jaws of the Crocodile

Full Event Title: Report Launch | Russia in the Middle East: National Security Challenges for the United States and Israel in the Biden Era

As U.S.-Russian tensions continue to escalate, Russia’s role in the Middle East is of urgent concern both to Israel and the United States. Potential flashpoints include Syria and Iran, new spheres of Russian engagement from Afghanistan to North Africa, and sensitive cybersecurity issues. Russia is also moving in tandem with China to push back against U.S. dominance, including in the Middle East. Leading experts from Israel and the United States address these challenges in a new report published by the Kennan Institute and the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya. In a discussion moderated by Susan Glasser, the report’s contributors addressed the challenges Russia poses in the region and the decisions that policymakers in the U.S. and Israel face.

Introduction:
Ambassador Mark Green - President Director, and CEO, Wilson Center

Speakers:
Major General (Res.) Amos Gilead - Executive Director of the Institute for Policy and Strategy (IPS), IDC Herzliya; Chairman of the IPS Annual Herzliya Conference Series

James F. Jeffrey - Chair of the Middle East Program; Former ambassador to Iraq and Turkey, and Special Envoy to the Global Coalition To Defeat ISIS

Matthew Rojansky - Director, Kennan Institute

Udi Evental - Col. (res.), Senior Researcher,, Institute for Policy and Strategy, Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya

Ksenia Svetlova - Senior Researcher, Institute for Policy and Strategy, IDC Herzliya; Journalist

Michael Kimmage - Professor of History, Catholic University of America

Moderator:
Susan Glasser - Staff Writer at The New Yorker; Founding editor of Politico Magazine

05/05/2021 - Russia in the Middle East: National Security Challenges for the US and Israel

In How Ike Led, Susan Eisenhower explains how Dwight Eisenhower’s decision-making was informed by his heritage and upbringing, as well as his strong character and his personal discipline. But he also avoided making himself the center of things. His talent for envisioning the whole picture within in the context of a long-term strategy, and his ability to see causes and various consequences, explains his success as a military commander and political leader. In this book talk, Susan Eisenhower explained her personal insights about President Eisenhower and what can be learned from him today. The Wilson Center’s Global Fellow Walter Hudson joined the conversation as a discussant.

Speaker:
Susan Eisenhower - Author

Discussant:
Walter Hudson - Global Fellow; Associate Professor, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University

Moderator:
Matthew Rojansky - Director, Kennan Institute

05/06/2021 - Book Talk: How Ike Led

On April 28, the government of Ukraine announced the dismissal of Naftogaz CEO Andrii Kobolev and the appointment of Yurii Vitrenko as a replacement. These actions came as a surprise to many and have raised concerns about Ukraine’s progress toward reforms among its Western partners, including the United States. In this panel, experts discussed whether these actions may undermine Ukraine’s corporate governance reform efforts or if they may lead to improved efficiency in how the country’s state-owned companies are operated.

Speakers:
Nataliya Katser-Buchkovska - Co-founder and CEO, Ukrainian Sustainable Fund

Andrian Prokip - Senior Associate, Ukraine; Energy Expert, Ukrainian Institute for the Future

Victor Andrusiv - Executive Director, Ukrainian Institute for the Future

Pavlo Klimkin - Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ukraine; Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Germany

Introduction:
Matthew Rojansky - Director, Kennan Institute

Moderator:
William Pomeranz - Deputy Director, Kennan Institute

05/07/2021 - Corporate Governance Reform in Ukraine: The Case of Naftogaz

As conflict grows between the United States and Russia, Russia has strengthened its relations with China. In an event co-sponsored by the Slavic-Eurasian Research Center at Hokkaido University, David Wolff will provide an update on the key planks in the partnership between China and Russia. These include economic ties, military cooperation, leadership chemistry, relations in border areas and historical legacies. He considered the shared and divergent goals of these two great powers. Kissinger Institute Director Robert Daly joined the conversation as a discussant.

Speakers:
David Wolff - CWIHP Senior Scholar; Professor, Eurasian History, Slavic Research Center, Hokkaido University

Robert Daly - Director, Kissinger Institute on China and the United States

Akihiro Iwashita - Director, Slavic-Eurasian Research Center, Hokkaido University

Moderator:
Matthew Rojansky - Director, Kennan Institute

05/11/2021 - Sino-Russian Relations in Recent Years

Forged in war and ideological battle, relations between Pyongyang and Moscow have been shaped by shared strategic interests, as well as feelings of perceived betrayal. How does the past affect relations between Pyongyang and Moscow today? Where are their interests aligned and where do they diverge? On May 19, Andrei Lankov, Director of NK News and Professor at Kookmin University in Seoul joined us for a conversation on North Korean-Russian relations.

Speakers:
Andrei Lankov - Professor of History at Kookmin University in Seoul, South Korea

Jean H. Lee - Director, Hyundai Motor-Korea Foundation Center for Korean History and Public Policy; Journalist and former Pyongyang Bureau Chief, Associated Press

Moderator:
Matthew Rojansky - Director, Kennan Institute

05/19/2021 - Global Perspectives: North Korean-Russian Relations

The Kremlin’s efforts to silence the Russian opposition have only increased since the attempted poisoning and subsequent imprisonment of Alexei Navalny. From expanding foreign agent legislation, to labeling organizations that promote free and fair elections as “extremist,” to imprisoning Navalny’s supporters and other opposition activists, the Russian government is unwilling to allow even activities that were normal only a few years earlier. Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian opposition politician and chairman of the Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom, described the increasingly repressive political atmosphere in Russia today, looking ahead to the Duma elections later this year and beyond —and what the future could hold given the growing anti-Putin sentiment in Russian society.

Speaker:
Vladimir Kara-Murza - Russian democracy activist, politician, author, and filmmaker; Chairman, Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom

Introduction:
Ambassador Mark Green - President, Director, & CEO, Wilson Center

Moderator:
Matthew Rojansky - Director, Kennan Institute

05/18/2021 - Heightened Political Repression in Russia: A Conversation with Vladimir Kara-Murza

For 70 years, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has played a critical role in working to advance freedom of information and the press in Europe, Eurasia, and the Middle East. Now, as authoritarian governments ramp up efforts to undermine democracy, human rights, and media freedom, RFE/RL is again on the front lines. In a conversation with Jamie Fly, President and Chief Executive Officer of RFE/RL, and Daisy Sindelar, Vice President and Editor in Chief of RFE/RL, we discussed the history, impact, and current challenges faced by RFE/RL in today’s evolving media environment.

Speakers:
Jamie Fly - President and Chief Executive Officer, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Daisy Sindelar - Vice President and Editor in Chief, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Introduction:
Robert S. Litwak - Senior Vice President and Director of International Security Studies

Moderator:
Christian F. Ostermann - Director, History and Public Policy Program; Cold War International History Project; North Korea Documentation Project; Nuclear Proliferation International History Project;
Woodrow Wilson Center

05/17/2021 - A Storied Legacy and Continued Challenges: Reflecting on RFE/RL

One of the key figures in the Russian opposition, Lyubov Sobol has encountered many of the well-known experiences of Russia’s political life: from electoral campaigns and street protests to hunger strikes and criminal trials. For many people, she represents the new generation of Russian leaders, which has a vision for the country’s future, but faces insurmountable obstacles on the path to public office. In her talk, Lyubov Sobol shared her experience as an independent politician and discussed what developments one can expect in Russian domestic politics in the run-up to the September 2021 elections and beyond.

Speaker:
Lyubov Sobol - Russian Political and Public Figure; Lawyer, Anti-Corruption Foundation; Producer, Navalny LIVE YouTube Channel

Moderator:
Matthew Rojansky - Director, Kennan Institute

06/02/2021 - Forging a New Path in Russian Politics: A Conversation with Lyubov Sobol [English]

06/02/2021 - Forging a New Path in Russian Politics: A Conversation with Lyubov Sobol [Russian]

On April 23, the popular Russian-language media outlet Meduza was labeled a “foreign agent” by the Russian Ministry of Justice and suddenly faced all the risks and problems associated with this status, including the loss of advertising income. Three weeks later, Meduza, which is headquartered in Riga, Latvia, reported that nearly 80,000 people had joined the crowdfunding initiative to save it. Galina Timchenko, a prominent Russian journalist and CEO of Meduza, considered what new challenges to free speech the Russian media are currently up against, how government pressure affects today’s media development trends, and what motivates independent journalists to continue working.

06/07/2021 - Challenges to Russia's Independent Media: A Conversation with Meduza's Galina Timchenko

WNBA player Brittney Griner has been wrongfully detained in Russia since her arrest on Feb. 17, 2022. Kimberly St. Julian-Varnon joined Kennan Institute Director William Pomeranz for a Twitter Spaces conversation on the latest developments from Griner's trial in Moscow, how her detention relates to Russia's war in Ukraine, and negotiations for a possible prisoner swap.

8/2/2022 - The Latest On Brittney Griner's Case

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