Two years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the war continues to cause extreme civilian harm and military casualties and has changed Ukrainian society to the core. Two years of war in Europe also changed perceptions of NATO and the defence policies of European countries, whilst the EU decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine. Yet, war in the Middle East and rising tensions in Asia have also directed international attention away from Ukraine. Promised weapon deliveries materialise slower than foreseen, and public support for Ukraine is not as self-evident as it was just after the invasion.

On 23 February 2024, two years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Netherlands Defence Academy (NLDA), the Royal Netherlands Association for War Studies (KVBK), the Netherlands Atlantic Association, the Clingendael Institute, the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS), and ISGA Leiden University take stock of these developments and ask the question: what does the war mean for Ukraine, for Europe and the world at large?

During a one-day symposium Dutch, Ukrainian and international experts will discuss the impact of the war on geopolitics, the consequences of the war on the EU and NATO and what it means for coercion. We will discuss the impact on Ukrainian people and politics and the societal developments in Ukraine since the start of the war. Finally, we will analyse the military lessons learned from a return to interstate conflict and consider the effects on innovation and the defence industry.

Register at: https://fd24.formdesk.com/universiteitleiden/War_in_Ukraine

Date and time: Friday 23.02.’24, 09:00 – 16:00 (walk-in 08:30)
Location: Campus The Hague – Leiden University, Turfmarkt 99, 2511 DP The Hague

Programme:

08:30-09:00      Coffee & Welcome

09:00-09:20      Introduction by ACdre. (ret.) Prof. dr. Frans Osinga

09:20-09:50       Key Note Speech by General Onno Eichelsheim, Chief of Defence

09:50-11:05       Panel 1: The impact of the War in Ukraine on Geo-Politics, with Anna van Zoest MPhil (moderator), Prof. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Prof. dr. Antoaneta Dimitrova and Drs. Hubert Smeets          

11:05 -11:30     Coffee Break

11:30 -11:45      Interview: Dr. Tim Sweijs with Dr. Ernst Dijxhoorn on coercion 

11:45 – 12:00     Interview: OSINT student initiative with Dr. Ernst Dijxhoorn

12:00 – 12:15     Interview: Ambassador Oleksandr Karasevych with Bob Deen

12:15 -13:00     Lunch

13:00 -14:10     Panel 2: The Impact of War on Ukrainian Society, with Bob Deen MA Msc (moderator), Dr. Olena Halushka, Julia Soldatiuk MA Msc and Yana Rudenko Msc                          

14:10 – 15:25    Panel 3: Fighting the War, with BGen Prof. dr. Paul Ducheine (moderator), Dr. Maarten Rothman, BGen Prof. dr. Han Bouwmeester, Dr. Tine Molendijk and Col. dr. Peter Pijpers                    

15:25 – 15:30   Closing words by Maj. Gen. Robert Adang

15:30 – 16:00    Drinks reception

Experts

© The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies