Five years after the annexation of Crimea and start of the armed conflict in Donbas – the situation on the ground remains unchanged. The Minsk process did not result in any overall stabilization but remains in place as there seem to be not better alternatives. The policies of the recently elected president  will determine whether the political status quo can be more or less maintained or whether Ukraine and its neighbors will have to adapt to new, potentially unforeseeable, circumstances.The U.S. decision of December 2017 to supply Ukraine with military equipment enabled Kyiv to improve its combat capabilities and reduce losses. Moreover, Ukraine started to play a more important role for the Trump Administration in its policy towards European security and Russia.At the same time, the idea of a peacekeeping mission is favored by both Ukraine and Russia, but the lack of mutual trust is limiting viable options. Western engagement is mainly maintained though the OSCE and its special monitoring mission in Ukraine. Additionally, the Normandy format and recent Franco-German initiatives on the Azov Sea showcase attempts to prevent a re-escalation of hostilities.

This conference seeks to discuss the role that the West is currently playing in the resolution of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the efficiency of existing resolution mechanisms and the relevance of engagement/deterrence options and sanctions policy vis-a-vis Russia.

Please find the detailed programme and the list of speakers in the PDF attachment below.