MSSR 2023 | Panel Discussion: Could the Russian Invasion of Ukraine Have Been Prevented?

As part of the Monterey Summer Symposium 2023 in Armenia & Georgia from July 2 to July 18, 2023, the distinguished voices of Anatol Lieven, Thomas Graham, Andrey Kortunov, and Hanna Notte converged to explore the critical question of whether the Russian invasion of Ukraine could have been prevented. This panel discussion was organized by the Monterey Initiative in Russian Studies, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. Anatol Lieven, the director of the Eurasia Program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, has held various esteemed positions throughout his career. Dr. Lieven has contributed as a journalist, historian, and author, among other books, of Ukraine and Russia: A Fraternal Rivalry. Thomas Graham, distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Among other positions, Dr. Graham served as special assistant to the US president and senior director for Russia on the National Security Council staff from 2004 to 2007, during which he managed a White House-Kremlin strategic dialogue. He was director for Russian affairs on the staff from 2002 to 2004. Dr. Graham is a co-founder of the Russian, East European, and Eurasian studies program at Yale University. Andrey Kortunov, director-general of the Russian International Affairs Council. He is a member of several expert supervisory committees and boards of trustees of Russian and international organizations. Hanna Notte, senior research associate at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation and a senior associate (non-resident) in the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic & International Studies. The question and answer session (Q&A) of all Monterey Summer Symposium on Russia events is exclusive to our fellows. We do not record the Q&A session. Media support for the Monterey Summer Symposium 2023 is provided by CivilNet Civilitas Foundation (, YouTube @CivilNetTV). Follow us on Twitter/X: @MIIS_MIR. Access lecture recordings and engage with experts by subscribing to the MIRS YouTube Channel: @monterey_initiative. © Copyright of this report belongs to the Civilitas Foundation. In accordance with the editorial policy of CivilNet (the media project of the Civilitas Foundation), materials may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior consent of CivilNet. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.