Economic Interests, "Oligarchs," and the Future of Ukraine’s Donbas and Conflict with Russia

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Brief Description

This round table discusses how economic interest and security issues intersect in post-2014 and may affect alternative resolution scenarios. We will deal with three levels of economic interests as they impact on the situation: first, at the level of national Ukrainian policy weighting the pros and cons of various models of reintegrating Donbas into Ukraine. Second, the level of the economic interests of various powerful Ukrainian economic actors and their implications for each of their preferences concerning alternative solutions. Third, the level of the concrete oligarchs, such as Rinat Akhmetov, whose regional and global economic interests are closely related to value chains –some of them now disrupted— going through the region. Fourth, the level of Ukrainian-Russian relations as reflected in the region. We prefer the Round Table format as it will allow us to include a larger number of perspectives on the issue, guaranteeing vigorous debate.

Sub Unit

• International Relations/Security Studies/Foreign Policy

Chair

• Lubomyr A. Hajda, Harvard U

Roundtable Members

• Anders Aslund, Atlantic Council

• Margarita Mercedes Balmaceda, Harvard U / Seton Hall U

• David Richard Dalton, U College London (UK)

• Paul J. D'Anieri, UC Riverside

• Karel Svoboda, Charles U in Prague (Czech Republic)

Session Manager

• Liladhar R. Pendse, UC Berkeley