Courtesy/SFWAF
SFWAF News:
The Santa Fe World Affairs Forum (SFWAF) announces its April 13-14 Symposium “When Ukraine Meets Russia Head-On” at the Santa Fe Community College.
When Russia invaded Ukraine Feb. 24, 2022, no one believed that a supposedly weak Ukraine could maintain its independence. As for Vladimir Putin, he expected to topple the Zelenskyy government in a matter of days—or less. And so, flagrantly violating the norms and laws that had promoted world peace and stability for 70 some years, a heavily armored column of Russian troops headed for Kiev. They never got there.
How could Putin have got it so wrong? Hubris, of course, but mostly miscalculation. Putin never expected to confront a brave and fervently patriotic population, a revamped military and the ingenuity and bravery of Ukraine’s civilian and military leadership. Nor did he anticipate a rejuvenation of NATO (Turkey and Hungary excepted) united in support of Ukraine, thus enabling a massive flow of Ukraine-bound weaponry from its arsenals. Or that his invasion would result in neutral Finland’s and Sweden’s applications for NATO membership.
It’s too early to predict the shape of a post-invasion Ukraine. Nor can we be certain that Russia will never again seek to roll back history by invading apparently weak neighbors. But one thing is certain. Putin and his army are being humiliated. He won’t get what he aimed for in Ukraine. Moreover, this conflict’s international ramifications – testing the foundations of the world order – are massive.
Speakers: Ambassador William B Taylor, Vice President for Russia, and Europe US Institute for Peace former Ambassador to Ukraine 2006-9; Mr. Juha Makikalli, Finnish Honorary Consul, Denver Colorado; Professor Gary Grossman, School for the Future of Innovation in Society, Arizona State University and former Fulbright professor, Turkey; Dr. Nancy Lubin, President, JNA Associates, Central Asian specialist; Dr. Sigfried S Hecker, emeritus, Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC), 5th Director of Los Alamos National Laboratory (1986-97); Ambassador (rtd) Larry C Napper, Professor of Practice Emeritus of International Affairs, The Bush School, Texas A&M former Ambassador to Latvia (1995-98) and Kazakhstan (2001-4); Mr. John Holden, Senior Managing Director, China Practice, McClarty and Associates.
Cost: SFWAF Members and affiliates both days: $95. Non-members: $120. Thursday only: $75; Friday only $65. College and university students both days: $60.
Registration and Payment: Email sfwaforum@outlook.com by Friday, April 7. Space is limited and reservations are first come, first serve. Fees for the symposium may be paid by check made out to SFWAF and mailed to The Santa Fe World Affairs Forum, PO Box 31965, Santa Fe, NM 87594. (Please include your name and contact information if not an SFWAF member).
Payment can also be made with a credit card through their Paypal account: https://www.sfwaf.
Note: Registration opens 9 a.m. Thursday & 9:15 a.m. Friday. Conference seating is first come; first serve.
