AUK was delighted to host the on-campus AUK Talk “Will the West support a Ukrainian victory?” with Ambassador Kurt Volker, AUK Co-Founder, the U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine negotiations (2017-2019), Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer-prize winner, historian and journalist, Radosław Sikorski, Polish politician, Member of European Parliament.
The talk focused on the current global challenges and the role of Ukraine in the future geopolitical world. Our distinguished speakers outlined:
Kurt Volker, “We have to make Westerners realize that russia as a state is an empire. We must realize that there are many other people in this russian empire. And that russian narrative on what russia is, its prerogatives, fears, etc., is the imperial, aggressive mindset that cannot be accepted in Europe”.
Anne Applebaum, “One of the main reasons why putin started this war is showing that he can break the rules. And one of the ways is to fight him back and try to win the war. Another way is by thinking about new means of accountability. Russians have to end that colonial assumption about Ukraine. I am afraid that might happen only after some developments on the battlefield or some political events in Moscow”.
Radosław Sikorski: “Ukraine is a swing country geopolitically. And now it is a swing country in the battle of ideas. Whether Ukraine wins or loses the war will decide the balance of powers in the world between autocracies and democracies. Ukraine’s victory will restore our morale”.
AUK thanks Kurt Volker, Anne Applebaum and Radosław Sikorski for their insights and standing with Ukraine!