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Making Sense of the Ukraine Conflict

Alumni Café: Making Sense of the Ukraine Conflict

Alumni
Community

A lecture by Professor Matthew Light

Since Ukraine burst onto public awareness with the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion this February, people around the world have been trying to make sense of the issues behind the conflict. Professor Matthew Light has been conducting research in Ukraine and other post-Soviet countries over his entire career. In this “explainer,” Light will present and answer a series of “frequently answered questions” about the invasion of Ukraine, including the following:

  • How do people in Ukraine understand their identity?
  • What are the root causes of this conflict?
  • How does it fit into other conflicts and international tensions in the Central and Eastern Europe/Eurasia region, including those in the Baltics, the Caucasus, and Moldova? 
  • What is each side’s “end game”?
  • What are the interests of Canada and NATO in the outcome of the conflict?
    Torn Ukrainian flags near a graveyard.