2025 Dialogues
February 25: Ukraine - The Fight for Our Lives
Political Advisor and Ukrainian Journalist Iuliia Mendel
A Mansfield Dialogue with Iuliia Mendal, reflecting on the conflict she first shared with Mansfield audiences in September 2023 as she launched the earlier edition of her book, "The Fight of Our Lives."
Recording Currently Unavailable
2024 Dialogue Recordings
Associate Professor of Economics Oksana Nezhyvenko
A Mansfield Dialogue with Dr. Oksana Nezhyvenko, updating us two years after the attack on Ukraine by Russia with details on Ukraine's fight and the conditions in her home country.
2022 Dialogue Recordings
Associate Professor of Economics Oksana Nezhyvenko
Oksana delivered her first Mansfield Dialogue from a Polish hotel room shortly after leaving Ukraine in the wake of Russia's invasion in February 2022.
Diplomat Chris Smith, author of Ukraine’s Revolt, Russia’s Revenge
As the world's attention is focused on the tragic effects of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, it is valuable to understand the complex political history of Ukraine and Russia's relations. While Christopher Smith worked as a diplomat in Ukraine, he was witness to major events in Ukraine's fight for democracy that laid the foundation of today's war. In this session, Smith will provide context behind Euromaidan protests, the Revolution of Dignity, the annexation of Crimea, and the outbreak of the Donbas War in 2014 to provide insight into the impacts we witness today.
Mansfield Ethics and Public Affairs Director Dr. Rob Saldin
For years, liberal democracy at home and abroad has suffered from a crisis of confidence and been on the defensive amidst a revival of authoritarianism. Those perceptions of weakness clearly played a role in Putin's decision to launch his latest war. While the situation in Ukraine remains dire and warning signs about the broader health of democracy certainly remain, the degree of unity and purpose in response to Putin's unprovoked attack--both internally and domestically--offer hope for a renewed commitment to liberal democracy.
Economist Joanna Shelton, Former Deputy Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
The war in Ukraine is resulting in a tragic loss of life and human suffering, as well as massive damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure. In addition to regional impacts, this session will address global economic consequences, including impacts to energy and commodity prices, financial markets, and inflationary pressures.
Senior Mansfield Fellow Dr. Steven Levine & James Compton, UM Graduate Student in the Department of History
Vladimir Putin's unprovoked war against Ukraine has triggered a geopolitical earthquake that has shaken the world like nothing else since World War II. Its aftershocks will likely continue for years. Adopting a global perspective, this session will survey the short-term impacts and possible long-term consequences of the war on global geopolitical alignments, the global economy, and the overriding question of war and peace – including an analysis of the war from a military standpoint.