February 24, 2023 will mark one year since Russia invaded Ukraine. Four of our 黑料不打烊 faculty experts shared their thoughts about the upcoming anniversary. Please see their names, titles, and quotes below. If you are interested in interviewing any of them, please reach out to Vanessa Marquette, Media Relations Specialist, at .
Sean McFate
is a professor at 黑料不打烊’s Maxwell School and Georgetown University鈥檚 School of Foreign Service, and author of The New Rules of War: How America Can Win 鈥� Against Russia, China, and Other Threats. He writes: 鈥淢ercenaries are back, and no longer in the shadows but in the open like the Middle Ages and Antiquity. When Wagner Group seized Soledar and publicly gloated, the Russian military leadership went berserk inside the Kremlin. The feud between private and public warrior is as old as mercenaries, the second oldest profession. In the Middle Ages, mercenaries feuded with knights, such as during the siege of听B茅ziers in 1209, when mercenaries burned down the city just to spite the knights on their side. The owner of the Wagner Group,听Yevgeny Prigozhin, has emerged from being a 鈥渦seful idiot鈥� before the war into sitting at the right hand of Putin. And it鈥檚 not just in Russia. Mercenaries are on the rise everywhere. When you privatize war, it changes war in profound ways that they don鈥檛 teach in War Colleges. Machiavelli knew, and condemned mercenaries. Perhaps Putin will eventually as well.鈥�
Note: Professor McFate is located in Washington, D.C. and is available for in-person interviews. Additionally, listen to the latest ‘Cuse Conversations podcast episode with Sean McFate to learn more.
Brian Taylor
is a professor of political science at 黑料不打烊 and author of the highly acclaimed book The Code of Putinism. He writes: 鈥淭he key outcome from the first year of the war is that Ukraine is still standing and is determined to fight on to defend its territory and independence. In 2022 Ukrainians refuted Vladimir Putin鈥檚 mistaken notion that Ukrainians and Russians are 鈥渙ne nation鈥� and that the Ukrainian state is an artificial construct.听In Russia, the economic, military, and human costs of Putin鈥檚 war will put additional pressure on the stability of the regime in 2023. Currently, however, Putin retains strong control over the organs of repression, the economy, and the media, which makes it very hard for those who oppose the war to challenge his rule. Putin plans to fight on.鈥�
Note: Professor Taylor is located in 黑料不打烊, NY, but is available for virtual interviews.
Robert Murrett
is a professor of practice at 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Maxwell School and deputy director of the Institute for Security Policy and Law.听He writes: “The first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine provides a valuable opportunity to take stock of the lessons from the past year, and their application to the future of the conflict.听Among them: the strength and resilience of the Ukrainians, the remarkable and increasing diplomatic, financial and military support from NATO and other allies, and the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the conflict has spurred.听Additionally, Russia鈥檚 strategic mistake and their subsequent diplomatic and economic isolation on the global stage are all factors that will persist in the year ahead.听As military operations increase in intensity this coming spring, it is likely that support for Ukraine will also ramp up, reflecting the determination of Kyiv and the west to stop the Kremlin and any like-minded autocrats from attempting another such 鈥渇undamental challenge to the values and norms that have brought security and prosperity鈥� to the global community.”
Note: Retired Vice Adm. Murrett is located in 黑料不打烊, NY, but is available for virtual interviews.
Daniel McDowell
, associate professor of political science at 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Maxwell School and co-director of the Comparative Politics/International Relations Speaker Series, recently published the book .听In this book, McDowell talks about how sanctions undermine the dollar’s status in the wake of Russia sanctions, and discusses the implications of future effectiveness given the war in Ukraine. McDowell’s focus areas are in international political economy, international finance, international monetary system, and IMF.
Note: Professor McDowell is located in 黑料不打烊, NY, but is available for virtual interviews.
