Our Mission

We aim to bring new, unconventional thinking on global affairs, fresh analysis on relations between modern world powers, particularly the US and Russia, and critically evaluate current global challenges.

 
What We Do

CGI takes a multidimensional approach to research and analysis, contributes new ideas and insights aimed at promoting mutual understanding, and identifies shared interests between countries. We hold discussions and symposia in both the U.S. and abroad, and work with a network of affiliated scholars to publish reports and foster strategic dialogue. We organize independent task forces on unfolding trends in international relations, effectiveness of global governance structures, as well as international organizations, and on improving global stability and preventing conflicts between countries. Our work is intended to help policymakers, journalists, opinion-makers, educators and the general public alike.

Center on Global Interests

Since Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and intervention in Eastern Ukraine, Europe has been seeking a response to Moscow's muscular foreign policy and provocative behavior in the former Soviet Union. While the West did implement numerous reassurance measures for its Eastern allies, the prospects of countries like Ukraine and Georgia joining NATO remain weak.In his new Brookings Marshall Paper titled&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.brookings.edu/book/beyond-nato/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">"Beyond NATO: A New Security Architecture for Eastern Europe"</a>&nbsp;(Brookings Institution Press, 2017)&nbsp;Michael O&rsquo;Hanlon argues that now is the time for Western nations to discuss the prospects for developing a new security architecture for neutral countries in Eastern Europe to stabilize the region and reduce the risks of war with Russia. Can the US and its allies define a new security order that will restore peace and stability together with Russia? What role should NATO and Eastern European states play in such a process? And finally, what would be the benefits and costs of such an approach in the context of&nbsp;worsening US-Russia relations?Please join the Center on Global Interests and the Institute of European, Russian, and Eurasian studies at the Elliot School of International Affairs for a discussion on the future of NATO, contemporary challenges posed by Russia, and the new security architecture for Eastern Europe.&nbsp;This event is on the record.&nbsp;Audience Q&amp;A will follow the discussion. Light refreshments will be served.Speakers:Michael E. O&rsquo;Hanlon&nbsp;is a senior fellow in Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution, where he specializes in US defense strategy, the use of military force, and American national security policy. He is also director of research for the Foreign Policy program at Brookings. He is an adjunct professor at Columbia, Princeton, and Syracuse universities and University of Denver. He is also a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. O&rsquo;Hanlon was a member of the external advisory board at the Central Intelligence Agency from 2011 to 2012.Ian Brzezinski&nbsp;is a resident senior fellow with the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security at the Atlantic Council. Between 2001 and 2005 Brzezinski served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for Europe and NATO policy. His office formulated, coordinated, and executed bilateral and regional engagement strategies and defense guidance with the Joint Staff, Unified Combatant Commands, and Defense Department elements. His lead responsibilities included NATO expansion; Alliance force planning and transformation; and NATO operations in the Balkans, the Mediterranean, Afghanistan, and Iraq.Marlene Laruelle&nbsp;is associate director of the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at the Elliot School of International Affairs, George Washington University. She works on Russia and Central Asia and explores post-Soviet political, social, and cultural changes through the prism of nationhood and nationalism. She has published three single-authored monographs, and two co-authored monographs, and has edited several collective volumes. She is the editor in chief of Central Asian Affairs and a member of the executive editorial board of Demokratizatsiya, the Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization.Moderator:Michael Purcell&nbsp;is director of operations at the Center on Global Interests and retired US Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel who served over 20 years as an armor officer, Eurasian foreign area officer, and strategic planner. His assignments in Eurasia included deputy director of strategy and plans for Marine Forces Europe and senior liaison officer for the United Nations Mission in Georgia. He has also served as the operations officer for the Marines 1st Tank Battalion during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Since Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and intervention in Eastern Ukraine, Europe has been seeking a response to Moscow's muscular foreign policy and provocative behavior in the former Soviet Union. While the West did implement numerous reassurance measures for its Eastern allies, the prospects of countries like Ukraine and Georgia joining NATO remain weak.
In his new Brookings Marshall Paper titled&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/book/beyond-nato/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">"Beyond NATO: A New Security Architecture for Eastern Europe"</a>&nbsp;(Brookings Institution Press, 2017)&nbsp;Michael O&rsquo;Hanlon argues that now is the time for Western nations to discuss the prospects for developing a new security architecture for neutral countries in Eastern Europe to stabilize the region and reduce the risks of war with Russia. Can the US and its allies define a new security order that will restore peace and stability together with Russia? What role should NATO and Eastern European states play in such a process? And finally, what would be the benefits and costs of such an approach in the context of&nbsp;worsening US-Russia relations?
Please join the Center on Global Interests and the Institute of European, Russian, and Eurasian studies at the Elliot School of International Affairs for a discussion on the future of NATO, contemporary challenges posed by Russia, and the new security architecture for Eastern Europe.&nbsp;This event is on the record.&nbsp;Audience Q&amp;A will follow the discussion. Light refreshments will be served.
&nbsp;
Speakers:
&nbsp;
Michael E. O&rsquo;Hanlon&nbsp;is a senior fellow in Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution, where he specializes in US defense strategy, the use of military force, and American national security policy. He is also director of research for the Foreign Policy program at Brookings. He is an adjunct professor at Columbia, Princeton, and Syracuse universities and University of Denver. He is also a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. O&rsquo;Hanlon was a member of the external advisory board at the Central Intelligence Agency from 2011 to 2012.
&nbsp;
Ian Brzezinski&nbsp;is a resident senior fellow with the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security at the Atlantic Council. Between 2001 and 2005 Brzezinski served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for Europe and NATO policy. His office formulated, coordinated, and executed bilateral and regional engagement strategies and defense guidance with the Joint Staff, Unified Combatant Commands, and Defense Department elements. His lead responsibilities included NATO expansion; Alliance force planning and transformation; and NATO operations in the Balkans, the Mediterranean, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
&nbsp;
Marlene Laruelle&nbsp;is associate director of the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at the Elliot School of International Affairs, George Washington University. She works on Russia and Central Asia and explores post-Soviet political, social, and cultural changes through the prism of nationhood and nationalism. She has published three single-authored monographs, and two co-authored monographs, and has edited several collective volumes. She is the editor in chief of Central Asian Affairs and a member of the executive editorial board of Demokratizatsiya, the Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization.
&nbsp;
Moderator:
&nbsp;
Michael Purcell&nbsp;is director of operations at the Center on Global Interests and retired US Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel who served over 20 years as an armor officer, Eurasian foreign area officer, and strategic planner. His assignments in Eurasia included deputy director of strategy and plans for Marine Forces Europe and senior liaison officer for the United Nations Mission in Georgia. He has also served as the operations officer for the Marines 1st Tank Battalion during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The European Security Order and the Future of NATO

Featuring:Andrew Kuchins, Senior Fellow, Georgetown UniversityE. Wayne Merry, Senior Fellow for Europe and Eurasia, American Foreign Policy CouncilNikolai Zlobin, President, Center on Global Interests (moderator)Donald Trump arrives in the White House with U.S.-Russia relations at the lowest point since the Cold War. Disagreements over Ukraine, Syria, and the future of European security, not to mention the recent cessation of nuclear cooperation agreements and Russia's involvement in the 2016 presidential election, have pushed ties to the brink of open conflict. Should the Trump administration maintain the current policy of isolation and pressure through sanctions, attempt a new reset on new terms, or try something different altogether?CGI invites you to the launch of its latest report, 'Elevation and Calibration: Russia Policy for the Next Administration,"&nbsp;authored by Andrew Kuchins. The report is informed by more than 40 interviews with top U.S. and Russian experts and policymakers.Copies of the publication will be distributed at the event at no cost.Q&amp;A and wine recpetion will follow the discussion. This event is on the record.About the Speakers: Andrew Kuchins is Senior Fellow and research professor at the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies (CERES) at Georgetown University and senior associate (non-resident) of the Center for Strategic &amp; International Studies (CSIS) Russia and Eurasia Program. He formerly served as director of the Carnegie Moscow Center and held senior positions at the MacArthur Foundation, Stanford Universtiy and the Universtiy of California-Berkeley. E. Wayne Merry is Senior Fellow for Europe and Eurasia at the American Foreign Policy Council. He was formerly the diplomat in charge of political analysis on the breakup of the Soviet Union and the early years of post-Soviet Russia at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.Nikolai Zlobin is the founder and President of the Center on Global Interests. A prominent historian and political observer, Zlobin has advised the governments in both Moscow and Washington and is a permanent member of the Valdai International Discussion Club.

Featuring:
Andrew Kuchins, Senior Fellow, Georgetown University
E. Wayne Merry, Senior Fellow for Europe and Eurasia, American Foreign Policy Council
Nikolai Zlobin, President, Center on Global Interests (moderator)
&nbsp;
Donald Trump arrives in the White House with U.S.-Russia relations at the lowest point since the Cold War. Disagreements over Ukraine, Syria, and the future of European security, not to mention the recent cessation of nuclear cooperation agreements and Russia's involvement in the 2016 presidential election, have pushed ties to the brink of open conflict. Should the Trump administration maintain the current policy of isolation and pressure through sanctions, attempt a new reset on new terms, or try something different altogether?
CGI invites you to the launch of its latest report, 'Elevation and Calibration: Russia Policy for the Next Administration,"&nbsp;authored by Andrew Kuchins. The report is informed by more than 40 interviews with top U.S. and Russian experts and policymakers.
 Copies of the publication will be distributed at the event at no cost.
Q&amp;A and wine recpetion will follow the discussion. This event is on the record. 
&nbsp;
About the Speakers:
&nbsp;
 Andrew Kuchins is Senior Fellow and research professor at the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies (CERES) at Georgetown University and senior associate (non-resident) of the Center for Strategic &amp; International Studies (CSIS) Russia and Eurasia Program. He formerly served as director of the Carnegie Moscow Center and held senior positions at the MacArthur Foundation, Stanford Universtiy and the Universtiy of California-Berkeley. 
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
E. Wayne Merry is Senior Fellow for Europe and Eurasia at the American Foreign Policy Council. He was formerly the diplomat in charge of political analysis on the breakup of the Soviet Union and the early years of post-Soviet Russia at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Nikolai Zlobin is the founder and President of the Center on Global Interests. A prominent historian and political observer, Zlobin has advised the governments in both Moscow and Washington and is a permanent member of the Valdai International Discussion Club.

Director

Senior Fellow

Senior Fellow for Europe & Eurasia

President

Report Launch: Russia Policy For The Trump Administration 

As both countries prepare for elections this fall, US-Russia relations have played an important, and increasingly divisive, role in the U.S. presidential race. Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s ostensible mutual affinity has raised questions about the Kremlin’s influence on U.S. policies and electoral process. Meanwhile, Russia is preparing for its first parliamentary elections since major protests in 2011-2012, a barometer on Putin’s leadership moving toward 2018. What factors are Moscow watching in the American decision? How have geopolitics shaped the domestic debate in both countries? And what do these elections mean for the future of U.S.-Russia bilateral relations?The Center on Global Interests is pleased to invite you to a discussion with M. Steven Fish, professor of political science at the University of California-Berkeley and Stephen Sestanovich, senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the Council on Foreign Relations. Igor Zevelev, Wilson Fellow at the Wilson Center for International Scholars, will moderate the discussion. Q&A with the audience will follow.  Light refreshments will be served. This event is on the record. About the SpeakersM. Steven Fish is a Professor of Political Science at the University of California-Berkeley, where he studies democracy and regime change in developing and postcommunist countries, religion and politics, and constitutional systems and national legislatures. He is the author of Are Muslims Distinctive? A Look at the Evidence (Oxford, 2011), which was selected for Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles, 2012: Top 25 Books. He is also author of Democracy Derailed in Russia: The Failure of Open Politics (Cambridge, 2005), which was the recipient of the Best Book Award of 2006, presented by the Comparative Democratization Section of the American Political Science Association, and Democracy from Scratch: Opposition and Regime in the New Russian Revolution (Princeton, 1995). He is coauthor of The Handbook of National Legislatures: A Global Survey (Cambridge, 2009) and Postcommunism and the Theory of Democracy (Princeton, 2001). He served as a Senior Fulbright Fellow and Visiting Professor at the Airlangga University, Surabaya, Indonesia, in 2007 and at the European University at St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2000-2001. In 2005, he was the recipient of the Distinguished Social Sciences Teaching Award of the Colleges of Letters and Science, University of California-Berkeley. Stephen Sestanovich is the George F. Kennan senior fellow for Russian and Eurasian studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis professor of international diplomacy at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. He is the author of Maximalist: America in the World from Truman to Obama, published by Knopf in February 2014. From 1997 to 2001, Sestanovich was the U.S. State Department's ambassador-at-large for the former Soviet Union. He has also served as vice president for Russian and Eurasian affairs at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, director of Soviet and East European studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, senior director for policy development at the National Security Council, a member of the State Department’s policy planning staff, and legislative assistant to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. He comments frequently on international issues for radio and television, and has written for Foreign Affairs, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy,  and other publications. He is a member of the board of directors of the National Endowment for Democracy.  Igor Zevelev is a Wilson Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. He was Director of the Russia Office at the MacArthur Foundation in 2008-2016. Igor Zevelev served as Washington Bureau Chief for the RIA Novosti News and Information Agency in 2005-2008 and was Professor of Russian Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Germany in 2000-2005. He holds a Doctor of Sciences degree in political science from the Institute of International Relations and World Economy (IMEMO) in Moscow, where he served as Head of Department. He has held visiting professorships at the University of Washington, the University of California at Berkeley, Macalester College, and has published five books and numerous articles. His current research interests are in the fields of national identity discourses, nationalism, foreign policy, and Russian-American relations.

As both countries prepare for elections this fall, US-Russia relations have played an important, and increasingly divisive, role in the U.S. presidential race. Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s ostensible mutual affinity has raised questions about the Kremlin’s influence on U.S. policies and electoral process. Meanwhile, Russia is preparing for its first parliamentary elections since major protests in 2011-2012, a barometer on Putin’s leadership moving toward 2018. What factors are Moscow watching in the American decision? How have geopolitics shaped the domestic debate in both countries? And what do these elections mean for the future of U.S.-Russia bilateral relations?The Center on Global Interests is pleased to invite you to a discussion with M. Steven Fish, professor of political science at the University of California-Berkeley and Stephen Sestanovich, senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the Council on Foreign Relations. Igor Zevelev, Wilson Fellow at the Wilson Center for International Scholars, will moderate the discussion. Q&A with the audience will follow.  Light refreshments will be served. This event is on the record. About the SpeakersM. Steven Fish is a Professor of Political Science at the University of California-Berkeley, where he studies democracy and regime change in developing and postcommunist countries, religion and politics, and constitutional systems and national legislatures. He is the author of Are Muslims Distinctive? A Look at the Evidence (Oxford, 2011), which was selected for Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles, 2012: Top 25 Books. He is also author of Democracy Derailed in Russia: The Failure of Open Politics (Cambridge, 2005), which was the recipient of the Best Book Award of 2006, presented by the Comparative Democratization Section of the American Political Science Association, and Democracy from Scratch: Opposition and Regime in the New Russian Revolution (Princeton, 1995). He is coauthor of The Handbook of National Legislatures: A Global Survey (Cambridge, 2009) and Postcommunism and the Theory of Democracy (Princeton, 2001). He served as a Senior Fulbright Fellow and Visiting Professor at the Airlangga University, Surabaya, Indonesia, in 2007 and at the European University at St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2000-2001. In 2005, he was the recipient of the Distinguished Social Sciences Teaching Award of the Colleges of Letters and Science, University of California-Berkeley. Stephen Sestanovich is the George F. Kennan senior fellow for Russian and Eurasian studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis professor of international diplomacy at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. He is the author of Maximalist: America in the World from Truman to Obama, published by Knopf in February 2014. From 1997 to 2001, Sestanovich was the U.S. State Department's ambassador-at-large for the former Soviet Union. He has also served as vice president for Russian and Eurasian affairs at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, director of Soviet and East European studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, senior director for policy development at the National Security Council, a member of the State Department’s policy planning staff, and legislative assistant to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. He comments frequently on international issues for radio and television, and has written for Foreign Affairs, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy,  and other publications. He is a member of the board of directors of the National Endowment for Democracy.  Igor Zevelev is a Wilson Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. He was Director of the Russia Office at the MacArthur Foundation in 2008-2016. Igor Zevelev served as Washington Bureau Chief for the RIA Novosti News and Information Agency in 2005-2008 and was Professor of Russian Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Germany in 2000-2005. He holds a Doctor of Sciences degree in political science from the Institute of International Relations and World Economy (IMEMO) in Moscow, where he served as Head of Department. He has held visiting professorships at the University of Washington, the University of California at Berkeley, Macalester College, and has published five books and numerous articles. His current research interests are in the fields of national identity discourses, nationalism, foreign policy, and Russian-American relations.

Senior Fellow Russia/Eurasia

Professor of Political Science

What The 2016 Elections Mean For US-Russia Relations

Russia is home to one of Europe&rsquo;s largest and fastest growing HIV/AIDS infected populations. As of 2016, more than 1 million people are registered on the country&rsquo;s official HIV-positive list. What factors led to Russia&rsquo;s AIDS epidemic, and will it continue to grow? How have policymakers responded to the crisis? And what do these responses say about Russia&rsquo;s current political, social, and economic environment?As the world&rsquo;s public health leaders prepare to meet in South Africa for the AIDS 2016 summit, the Center on Global Interests is pleased to invite you to this timely discussion with&nbsp;Robert Heimer,&nbsp;Professor of Epidemiology and Pharmacology at the Yale School of Public Health and&nbsp;Olga Levina,&nbsp;Development Director at Stellit, a St. Petersburg-based public health NGO.&nbsp;Judyth Twigg,&nbsp;Professor of Political Science and senior fellow (non-resident) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies will moderate the conversation.&nbsp;A Q&amp;A with the audience and light lunch will follow. This event is on the record.Speakers:Robert Heimer is professor of epidemiology and pharmacology at the Yale School of Public Health, where he is also the Director of the Emerging Infections Program. Dr. Heimer&#39;s research combines laboratory, operational, behavioral, and structural analyses to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention programs in preventing the negative medical consequences of injection drug use. He has extensive field experience in Russia and eastern Europe, including work on alcohol and HIV risk reduction programs in St. Petersburg and a HIV prevalence study among drug-users in Russia and Estonia. Dr. Heimer received his training in molecular biology and pharmacology at Columbia College (BA) and Yale University (MA, PhD).Olga S. Levina&nbsp;is a co-founder and Development Director of Stellit, a St. Petersburg-based NGO, which focuses on public health issues in Russia, including HIV/AIDS. Her work focuses on the health issues that face socially-excluded populations, such as injection drug users, imprisoned women, neglected children, and female sex workers. She also researches law enforcement, public health, and other professional systems in Russian cities. Dr. Levina has extensive experience in the development and evaluation of regional and institutional-level projects and programs in Russia, and has contributed to more than 70 scientific publications. She received her Ph.D. from St. Petersburg State University, where she studied psychology and management. From 2013-2014, she received post-doctoral training at the Yale School of Public Health.&nbsp;Judyth Twigg is professor of political science at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is also currently serving as a senior associate (non-resident) with the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies; consultant to the World Bank, the U.S. federal government, and UNICEF; and adjunct professor at the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.&nbsp; Twigg&rsquo;s work focuses on issues of health, demographic change, and health systems reform in Eurasia, as well as evaluations of human development and public sector management projects globally. &nbsp;She has testified as an expert witness before the U.S. Congress and has been a member of several congressional and other high-level advisory groups on Russian affairs.&nbsp; She holds a B.S. in physics from Carnegie Mellon University, an M.A. in political science and Russian studies from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Ph.D. in political science and security studies from MIT.

Russia is home to one of Europe&rsquo;s largest and fastest growing HIV/AIDS infected populations. As of 2016, more than 1 million people are registered on the country&rsquo;s official HIV-positive list. What factors led to Russia&rsquo;s AIDS epidemic, and will it continue to grow? How have policymakers responded to the crisis? And what do these responses say about Russia&rsquo;s current political, social, and economic environment?

As the world&rsquo;s public health leaders prepare to meet in South Africa for the AIDS 2016 summit, the Center on Global Interests is pleased to invite you to this timely discussion with&nbsp;Robert Heimer,&nbsp;Professor of Epidemiology and Pharmacology at the Yale School of Public Health and&nbsp;Olga Levina,&nbsp;Development Director at Stellit, a St. Petersburg-based public health NGO.&nbsp;Judyth Twigg,&nbsp;Professor of Political Science and senior fellow (non-resident) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies will moderate the conversation.&nbsp;

A Q&amp;A with the audience and light lunch will follow. This event is on the record.

Speakers:

Robert Heimer is professor of epidemiology and pharmacology at the Yale School of Public Health, where he is also the Director of the Emerging Infections Program. Dr. Heimer&#39;s research combines laboratory, operational, behavioral, and structural analyses to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention programs in preventing the negative medical consequences of injection drug use. He has extensive field experience in Russia and eastern Europe, including work on alcohol and HIV risk reduction programs in St. Petersburg and a HIV prevalence study among drug-users in Russia and Estonia. Dr. Heimer received his training in molecular biology and pharmacology at Columbia College (BA) and Yale University (MA, PhD).

Olga S. Levina&nbsp;is a co-founder and Development Director of Stellit, a St. Petersburg-based NGO, which focuses on public health issues in Russia, including HIV/AIDS. Her work focuses on the health issues that face socially-excluded populations, such as injection drug users, imprisoned women, neglected children, and female sex workers. She also researches law enforcement, public health, and other professional systems in Russian cities. Dr. Levina has extensive experience in the development and evaluation of regional and institutional-level projects and programs in Russia, and has contributed to more than 70 scientific publications. She received her Ph.D. from St. Petersburg State University, where she studied psychology and management. From 2013-2014, she received post-doctoral training at the Yale School of Public Health.

&nbsp;Judyth Twigg is professor of political science at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is also currently serving as a senior associate (non-resident) with the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies; consultant to the World Bank, the U.S. federal government, and UNICEF; and adjunct professor at the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.&nbsp; Twigg&rsquo;s work focuses on issues of health, demographic change, and health systems reform in Eurasia, as well as evaluations of human development and public sector management projects globally. &nbsp;She has testified as an expert witness before the U.S. Congress and has been a member of several congressional and other high-level advisory groups on Russian affairs.&nbsp; She holds a B.S. in physics from Carnegie Mellon University, an M.A. in political science and Russian studies from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Ph.D. in political science and security studies from MIT.

&nbsp;

Professor

Co-founder/Development Director

Russia’s AIDS Epidemic: Truths, Policies, And Future Outlook

Russia’s actions in Crimea, eastern Ukraine, and Syria have demonstrated the reemergence of the Russian military as one of the Kremlin’s most effective foreign policy tools. The success of these campaigns comes as a result of major military reform and modernization efforts that began in 2008. What changes led to today’s revamped Russian military? How will the Kremlin use its modernized force as a geopolitical tool? And does Russia’s new military pose a threat to the West?Ahead of the NATO Warsaw summit in July, the Center on Global Interests is pleased to invite you to a discussion with Michael Kofman, a leading expert on Russia’s military, and Nikolas Gvosdev,&nbsp;Professor of National Security Affairs at the US Naval War College,&nbsp;on the details of Russian military capabilities and how the West should respond.&nbsp;Michael Purcell, Director of Operations at CGI and former Marine officer, will moderate the discussion. The event will mark the release of&nbsp;a new CGI report – a net assessment of Russia’s military&nbsp;–&nbsp;co-authored by Michael Kofman and Russian military analyst Alexander Golts.A Q&amp;A will follow. Light refreshments will be served.About the SpeakersNikolas Gvosdev&nbsp;is Professor of National Security Affairs at the US Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He was formerly the Editor of&nbsp;The National&nbsp;Interest&nbsp;magazine and a Senior Fellow at The Nixon Center in Washington, D.C. Gvosdev&nbsp;received his doctorate from St. Antony’s College, Oxford University, where he studied on a Rhodes Scholarship. A&nbsp;frequent commentator on Russian and Eurasian&nbsp;affairs, his work has appeared in such outlets as&nbsp;Foreign Affairs,&nbsp;The Financial Times,&nbsp;The Los Angeles Times,&nbsp;and&nbsp;Orbis,&nbsp;and&nbsp;he has appeared as a commentator on CNN,&nbsp;Fox News, MSNBC, National Public Radio, and BBC.Michael Kofmanspent years managing professional military education programs and military to military engagements for senior officers at National Defense University.&nbsp; There he served as a subject matter expert and adviser to military and government officials on issues in Russia/Eurasia. He has represented the Department of Defense in a number of track one and track two efforts with Russia and Pakistan, along with strategic dialogues and conferences with experts in the field.&nbsp; His prior experience includes working at the U.S. Institute of Peace, HSBC Bank, and The Diplomatic Courier.&nbsp; He has published and co-authored articles on security issues in Russia, Central Asia and Eurasia, along with numerous analyses for the US government.&nbsp; Mr.Kofman holds a M.A. in International Security from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University and a B.A. in Political Science from Northeastern University.Michael Purcellserved&nbsp;over 20 years with the US Marines as an armor officer, Eurasian&nbsp;foreign area officer, and strategic planner in a variety of command staff assignments. He has extensive political-military experience in&nbsp;the former Soviet space and participated in a variety of military&nbsp;operations abroad. He holds an advanced&nbsp;degree from the&nbsp;US Naval Postgraduate School and a certificate in economics&nbsp;from the Moscow Higher School of Economics. &nbsp;

Russia’s actions in Crimea, eastern Ukraine, and Syria have demonstrated the reemergence of the Russian military as one of the Kremlin’s most effective foreign policy tools. The success of these campaigns comes as a result of major military reform and modernization efforts that began in 2008. What changes led to today’s revamped Russian military? How will the Kremlin use its modernized force as a geopolitical tool? And does Russia’s new military pose a threat to the West?

Ahead of the NATO Warsaw summit in July, the Center on Global Interests is pleased to invite you to a discussion with Michael Kofman, a leading expert on Russia’s military, and Nikolas Gvosdev,&nbsp;Professor of National Security Affairs at the US Naval War College,&nbsp;on the details of Russian military capabilities and how the West should respond.&nbsp;Michael Purcell, Director of Operations at CGI and former Marine officer, will moderate the discussion. The event will mark the release of&nbsp;a new CGI report – a net assessment of Russia’s military&nbsp;–&nbsp;co-authored by Michael Kofman and Russian military analyst Alexander Golts.

A Q&amp;A will follow. Light refreshments will be served.

About the Speakers

Nikolas Gvosdev&nbsp;is Professor of National Security Affairs at the US Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He was formerly the Editor of&nbsp;The National&nbsp;Interest&nbsp;magazine and a Senior Fellow at The Nixon Center in Washington, D.C. Gvosdev&nbsp;received his doctorate from St. Antony’s College, Oxford University, where he studied on a Rhodes Scholarship. A&nbsp;frequent commentator on Russian and Eurasian&nbsp;affairs, his work has appeared in such outlets as&nbsp;Foreign Affairs,&nbsp;The Financial Times,&nbsp;The Los Angeles Times,&nbsp;and&nbsp;Orbis,&nbsp;and&nbsp;he has appeared as a commentator on CNN,&nbsp;Fox News, MSNBC, National Public Radio, and BBC.

Michael Kofman spent years managing professional military education programs and military to military engagements for senior officers at National Defense University.&nbsp; There he served as a subject matter expert and adviser to military and government officials on issues in Russia/Eurasia. He has represented the Department of Defense in a number of track one and track two efforts with Russia and Pakistan, along with strategic dialogues and conferences with experts in the field.&nbsp; His prior experience includes working at the U.S. Institute of Peace, HSBC Bank, and The Diplomatic Courier.&nbsp; He has published and co-authored articles on security issues in Russia, Central Asia and Eurasia, along with numerous analyses for the US government.&nbsp; Mr.Kofman holds a M.A. in International Security from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University and a B.A. in Political Science from Northeastern University.

Michael Purcell served&nbsp;over 20 years with the US Marines as an armor officer, Eurasian&nbsp;foreign area officer, and strategic planner in a variety of command staff assignments. He has extensive political-military experience in&nbsp;the former Soviet space and participated in a variety of military&nbsp;operations abroad. He holds an advanced&nbsp;degree from the&nbsp;US Naval Postgraduate School and a certificate in economics&nbsp;from the Moscow Higher School of Economics. &nbsp;

Public Policy Fellow

Director of Operations

Russia’s Military: Assessment, Strategy, And Threat

The recent flareups in Nagorno-Karabakh have shown that the conflict is far from a &quot;frozen&quot; one. As the dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan escalates, Russia has increasingly pursued the role of the leading mediator between the two sides, working alongside the United States and France within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group.But what are Russia&#39;s own goals in mediating&nbsp;&mdash;&nbsp;or perpetuating&nbsp;&mdash;&nbsp;the conflict? And what are the limits to its control of the situation?The Center on Global Interests is pleased to invite you to a discussion with Sergey Markedonov, a leading Russian expert on the Caucasus. Joining as his co-discussant will be John Evans, former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia.&nbsp;Light refreshments will be served. A Q&amp;A with the audience will follow.About the Speakers:Sergey Markedonov&nbsp;is an Associate Professor at the Russian State University for the Humanities in Moscow.&nbsp;He has previously held visiting fellowships at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) from 2010-2013, the Center for Russia and Central Asia Studies at Fudan University (Shanghai, China) in 2015, and at the&nbsp;Center for Central Eurasian Studies at the University of Mumbai in January-February, 2016.&nbsp;His extensive writings on security issues in the Caucasus and Russian foreign policy have been published in the journals&nbsp;Central Asia and The Caucasus Journal of Social and Political Studies&nbsp;and&nbsp;Russia in Foreign Affairs,&nbsp;The National Interest, openDemocracy,&nbsp;and many others.John M. Evans, a career Foreign Service Officer who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia from 2004 to 2006, stirred controversy in February 2005 by publicly dissenting from the policy of the Bush Administration on the 90-year-old issue of the Armenian Genocide. A native of Williamsburg, Virginia, educated at Yale and Columbia, Evans served in Tehran, Prague, Moscow, Brussels (NATO), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, St. Petersburg and Washington, reaching the rank of Minister-Counselor. He is the author of&nbsp;Truth Held Hostage: America and the Armenian Genocide: What Then? What Now?which was published in April and is available at Amazon.com. Now retired from the State Department, he lives with his wife in Washington, D.C.

The recent flareups in Nagorno-Karabakh have shown that the conflict is far from a &quot;frozen&quot; one. As the dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan escalates, Russia has increasingly pursued the role of the leading mediator between the two sides, working alongside the United States and France within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group.

But what are Russia&#39;s own goals in mediating&nbsp;&mdash;&nbsp;or perpetuating&nbsp;&mdash;&nbsp;the conflict? And what are the limits to its control of the situation?

The Center on Global Interests is pleased to invite you to a discussion with Sergey Markedonov, a leading Russian expert on the Caucasus. Joining as his co-discussant will be John Evans, former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia.&nbsp;

Light refreshments will be served. A Q&amp;A with the audience will follow.

About the Speakers:

Sergey Markedonov&nbsp;is an Associate Professor at the Russian State University for the Humanities in Moscow.&nbsp;He has previously held visiting fellowships at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) from 2010-2013, the Center for Russia and Central Asia Studies at Fudan University (Shanghai, China) in 2015, and at the&nbsp;Center for Central Eurasian Studies at the University of Mumbai in January-February, 2016.&nbsp;His extensive writings on security issues in the Caucasus and Russian foreign policy have been published in the journals&nbsp;Central Asia and The Caucasus Journal of Social and Political Studies&nbsp;and&nbsp;Russia in Foreign Affairs,&nbsp;The National Interest, openDemocracy,&nbsp;and many others.

John M. Evans, a career Foreign Service Officer who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia from 2004 to 2006, stirred controversy in February 2005 by publicly dissenting from the policy of the Bush Administration on the 90-year-old issue of the Armenian Genocide. A native of Williamsburg, Virginia, educated at Yale and Columbia, Evans served in Tehran, Prague, Moscow, Brussels (NATO), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, St. Petersburg and Washington, reaching the rank of Minister-Counselor. He is the author of&nbsp;Truth Held Hostage: America and the Armenian Genocide: What Then? What Now?which was published in April and is available at Amazon.com. Now retired from the State Department, he lives with his wife in Washington, D.C.

Assistant Professor 

Nagorno-Karabakh: The Russia Factor

<h3>A discussusion of&nbsp;The&nbsp;Democracy Promotion Paradox</h3><h3>with author&nbsp;Lincoln Mitchell</h3>Is democracy exportable? In his new book&nbsp;The Democracy Promotion Paradox&nbsp;(Brookings Institution Press), Lincoln Mitchell raises difficult but critically important issues by probing the numerous inconsistencies and paradoxes that lie at the heart of the theory and practice of democracy promotion. Mitchell draws on his experiences in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, among other regions, to relate democracy promotion to broader questions about U.S. foreign policy.&nbsp;Thomas Carothers, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, will serve as a discussant. A Q&amp;A session with the audience will follow. This event is on the record.Lunch will be served at 11:30 AM. Signed copies of the book will be available for purchase.About the Speakers:Lincoln Mitchell&nbsp;is a writer and specialist in political development. He has worked on democracy and governance related issues in the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Lincoln writes about US politics as well, serving as the national political correspondent for&nbsp;The New York Observer.&nbsp;He served on the faculty of Columbia University&#39;s School of International Affairs from 2006-2013 and worked for years as a political consultant in New York City advising and managing domestic political campaigns. His recent books include&nbsp;Uncertain Democracy: US Foreign Policy and Georgia&rsquo;s Rose Revolution&nbsp;(2008)andThe Color Revolutions&nbsp;(2012), both from the University of Pennsylvania Press. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Columbia University.Thomas Carothers&nbsp;is vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He directs the Democracy and Rule of Law Program and oversees several other Carnegie programs, including Carnegie Europe in Brussels, the Energy and Climate Program, and the D.C.-based Europe Program.&nbsp;He has worked extensively with the Open Society Foundations (OSF), and has taught at Oxford University and Johns Hopkins SAIS. His recent publications include&nbsp;&ldquo;Democracy Aid at 25: Time to Choose&rdquo; (Journal of Democracy, January 2015),&nbsp;Closing Space: International Support for Democracy and Human Rights Under Fire&nbsp;(2014), and&nbsp;Development Aid Confronts Politics: The Almost Revolution&nbsp;(with Diane de Gramont, 2013). He holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School.Follow the discussion live with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/CGI_DC" target="_blank">@CGI_DC</a>

<h3>A discussusion of&nbsp;The&nbsp;Democracy Promotion Paradox</h3>

<h3>with author&nbsp;Lincoln Mitchell</h3>

Is democracy exportable? In his new book&nbsp;The Democracy Promotion Paradox&nbsp;(Brookings Institution Press), Lincoln Mitchell raises difficult but critically important issues by probing the numerous inconsistencies and paradoxes that lie at the heart of the theory and practice of democracy promotion. Mitchell draws on his experiences in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, among other regions, to relate democracy promotion to broader questions about U.S. foreign policy.&nbsp;

Thomas Carothers, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, will serve as a discussant. A Q&amp;A session with the audience will follow. This event is on the record.

Lunch will be served at 11:30 AM. Signed copies of the book will be available for purchase.

About the Speakers:

Lincoln Mitchell&nbsp;is a writer and specialist in political development. He has worked on democracy and governance related issues in the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Lincoln writes about US politics as well, serving as the national political correspondent for&nbsp;The New York Observer.&nbsp;He served on the faculty of Columbia University&#39;s School of International Affairs from 2006-2013 and worked for years as a political consultant in New York City advising and managing domestic political campaigns. His recent books include&nbsp;Uncertain Democracy: US Foreign Policy and Georgia&rsquo;s Rose Revolution&nbsp;(2008)&nbsp;and&nbsp;The Color Revolutions&nbsp;(2012), both from the University of Pennsylvania Press. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Columbia University.

Thomas Carothers&nbsp;is vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He directs the Democracy and Rule of Law Program and oversees several other Carnegie programs, including Carnegie Europe in Brussels, the Energy and Climate Program, and the D.C.-based Europe Program.&nbsp;He has worked extensively with the Open Society Foundations (OSF), and has taught at Oxford University and Johns Hopkins SAIS. His recent publications include&nbsp;&ldquo;Democracy Aid at 25: Time to Choose&rdquo; (Journal of Democracy, January 2015),&nbsp;Closing Space: International Support for Democracy and Human Rights Under Fire&nbsp;(2014), and&nbsp;Development Aid Confronts Politics: The Almost Revolution&nbsp;(with Diane de Gramont, 2013). He holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Follow the discussion live with&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/CGI_DC" target="_blank">@CGI_DC</a>

VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDIES

The Democracy Promotion Paradox

The Center on Global Interests invites you to a discussion with:<ul>	<li>	Thomas Graham,&nbsp;Managing Director,&nbsp;Kissinger Associates, Inc.	</li>	<li>	Andrew Kuchins, Senior Fellow, Georgetown University	</li>	<li>	Nikolai Zlobin,&nbsp;President, Center on Global Interests	</li></ul>On the eve of a new presidential administration, U.S. policy toward Russia has shifted from reset to isolation over conflicts in Ukraine and Syria. As the 25th anniversary of the bilateral relationship approaches, what direction should the next American president take concerning Russia? Should the White House maintain the current policy of isolation and pressure through sanctions, attempt a new reset on new terms, or try something different altogether?&nbsp;The Center on Global Interests is pleased to invite you to this timely discussion.&nbsp;Wine reception to follow. This event is on the record.&nbsp;Join the discussion with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/CGI_DC" target="_blank">@CGI_DC</a>About the Speakers:Thomas Graham&nbsp;is a managing director at Kissinger Associates, Inc., where he focuses on Russian and Eurasian affairs. Since 2011, he also been a senior fellow at the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, Yale University, where he has taught courses on Russian affairs, U.S.-Russian relations, and cybersecurity. He was Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Russia on the National Security Council staff from 2004 to 2007 and Director for Russian Affairs on that staff from 2002 to 2004. From 2001 to 2002, he served as the Associate Director of the Policy Planning Staff of the Department of State. From 1998 to 2001, Mr. Graham was a senior associate in the Russia/Eurasia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. From 1984 to1998, he was a Foreign Service Officer. His assignments included two tours of duty at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, where he served as head of the political/internal unit and acting political counselor. Between tours in Moscow, he worked on Russian and Soviet affairs on the Policy Planning Staff of the Department of State and as a policy assistant in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy. Mr. Graham holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and an M.A. in History from Harvard and a B.A. in Russian Studies from Yale.Andrew Kuchins&nbsp;is a senior fellow at the&nbsp;Center for Eurasian, Russian, Eastern European Studies, Georgetown University where he conducts research and writes on Russian foreign and security as well as domestic policy. From 2000 to 2006, Kuchins was a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he previously served as director of its Russian and Eurasian Program in Washington, D.C. He was director of the Carnegie Moscow Center in Russia from 2003 to 2005. He has also held senior positions at the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley. He holds a B.A. from Amherst College and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins SAIS.Nikolai Zlobin&nbsp;is the founder and president of the Center on Global Interests (CGI). Prior to founding CGI, Dr. Zlobin served as director of Russian and Asian programs at the World Security Institute in Washington, D.C. Before this, he was the founder and director of the international news agency Washington ProFile, as well as director of Russian and Asian Programs at the Center for Defense Information. Since moving to the United States in 1993, he has researched and taught at several top American universities and institutions, including the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Georgetown, Stanford, and Harvard. In 1993, he co-founded&nbsp;Demokratizatsiy, the first journal of its kind on post-Soviet politics and democratization. Since 2004, he has also been a member of the Valdai International Discussion Club. Dr. Zlobin’s writings have appeared in many influential publications, including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, International Herald Tribune, The Chicago Tribune, Vedomosti, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, and Izvestia. He holds a Ph.D in Public Administration from Moscow State University.

The Center on Global Interests invites you to a discussion with:

<ul>
	<li>
	Thomas Graham,&nbsp;Managing Director,&nbsp;Kissinger Associates, Inc.
	</li>
	<li>
	Andrew Kuchins, Senior Fellow, Georgetown University
	</li>
	<li>
	Nikolai Zlobin,&nbsp;President, Center on Global Interests
	</li>
</ul>

On the eve of a new presidential administration, U.S. policy toward Russia has shifted from reset to isolation over conflicts in Ukraine and Syria. As the 25th anniversary of the bilateral relationship approaches, what direction should the next American president take concerning Russia? Should the White House maintain the current policy of isolation and pressure through sanctions, attempt a new reset on new terms, or try something different altogether?&nbsp;The Center on Global Interests is pleased to invite you to this timely discussion.&nbsp;

Wine reception to follow. This event is on the record.&nbsp;

Join the discussion with&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/CGI_DC" target="_blank">@CGI_DC</a>

About the Speakers:

Thomas Graham&nbsp;is a managing director at Kissinger Associates, Inc., where he focuses on Russian and Eurasian affairs. Since 2011, he also been a senior fellow at the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, Yale University, where he has taught courses on Russian affairs, U.S.-Russian relations, and cybersecurity. He was Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Russia on the National Security Council staff from 2004 to 2007 and Director for Russian Affairs on that staff from 2002 to 2004. From 2001 to 2002, he served as the Associate Director of the Policy Planning Staff of the Department of State. From 1998 to 2001, Mr. Graham was a senior associate in the Russia/Eurasia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. From 1984 to1998, he was a Foreign Service Officer. His assignments included two tours of duty at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, where he served as head of the political/internal unit and acting political counselor. Between tours in Moscow, he worked on Russian and Soviet affairs on the Policy Planning Staff of the Department of State and as a policy assistant in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy. Mr. Graham holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and an M.A. in History from Harvard and a B.A. in Russian Studies from Yale.

Andrew Kuchins&nbsp;is a senior fellow at the&nbsp;Center for Eurasian, Russian, Eastern European Studies, Georgetown University where he conducts research and writes on Russian foreign and security as well as domestic policy. From 2000 to 2006, Kuchins was a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he previously served as director of its Russian and Eurasian Program in Washington, D.C. He was director of the Carnegie Moscow Center in Russia from 2003 to 2005. He has also held senior positions at the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley. He holds a B.A. from Amherst College and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins SAIS.

Nikolai Zlobin&nbsp;is the founder and president of the Center on Global Interests (CGI). Prior to founding CGI, Dr. Zlobin served as director of Russian and Asian programs at the World Security Institute in Washington, D.C. Before this, he was the founder and director of the international news agency Washington ProFile, as well as director of Russian and Asian Programs at the Center for Defense Information. Since moving to the United States in 1993, he has researched and taught at several top American universities and institutions, including the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Georgetown, Stanford, and Harvard. In 1993, he co-founded&nbsp;Demokratizatsiy, the first journal of its kind on post-Soviet politics and democratization. Since 2004, he has also been a member of the Valdai International Discussion Club. Dr. Zlobin’s writings have appeared in many influential publications, including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, International Herald Tribune, The Chicago Tribune, Vedomosti, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, and Izvestia. He holds a Ph.D in Public Administration from Moscow State University.

Managing Director

Russia Policy For The Next U.S. Administration

A panel discussion with:<ul>	<li>E. Wayne Merry, American Foreign Policy Council</li>	<li>	Sheila&nbsp;Smith, Council on Foreign Relations	</li>	<li>	Joshua&nbsp;Walker, German Marshall Fund	</li></ul>Moderator:&nbsp;Clyde&nbsp;Prestowitz, President and Founder of the Economic Strategic Institue&nbsp;Japan-Russia relations are at an important crossroads. This May Japan will preside over the annual meeting of G7 countries, a club that Russia was suspended from in 2014 following the seizure of Crimea. Despite Moscow's current international exclusion, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has reportedly snubbed an appeal by U.S. President Barack Obama, who asked that he not visit Russia before the summit.Will Japan use the G7 opportunity to strengthen its ties with Russia? What are the prospects of reconciling the long-standing territorial and treaty disputes? How has Japan related to Russia post-Ukraine crisis, and where has it diverged from the West? Can Moscow serve as Tokyo’s partner to balance against China’s rise? The Center on Global Interests is pleased to invite you to this timely discussion. Q&amp;A with the audience will follow.Lunch will be served.&nbsp;This event is on the record.&nbsp;Join the discussion with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/CGI_DC" target="_blank">@CGI_DC</a><h3>About the Speakers:</h3>E. Wayne Merry&nbsp;is Senior Fellow for Europe and Eurasia at the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington, DC. During a 26-year diplomatic career in the United States' Foreign Service, he worked as political analyst in American embassies in Moscow, Tunis, East Berlin, Athens, and the U.S. Mission to the UN in New York. Mr. Merry also served as Regional Director for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia at the Pentagon, and he was a program director at the Atlantic Council. In 2014 he published "Back to the G7: Russia's Expulsion from the Group of Eight and the End of the Post-Cold War World" for CGI.&nbsp;Clyde Prestowitz&nbsp;is the founder and President of the Economic Strategy Institute (ESI) where he has become one of the world’s leading writers and strategists on globalization and competitiveness and an influential adviser to the U.S. and other governments. He is also the author of the bestselling books&nbsp;The Betrayal of American&nbsp;Prosperity,&nbsp;Three Billion New Capitalists,&nbsp;Rogue Nation, and&nbsp;Trading Places.&nbsp;Prior to founding ESI, Mr. Prestowitz served as Counselor to the Secretary of Commerce in the Reagan Administration where he headed U.S. negotiations with Japan, Korea, the EU, Southeast Asia, and Latin America and served as a leader of the first U.S. trade mission to China. Subsequently, he became a Fellow of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and was appointed Vice Chairman of President Clinton’s Commission on Trade and Investment in the Asia-Pacific Region as well as a member of the Advisory Board of the U.S. Export-Import Bank.&nbsp;Twitter:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/clydeprestowitz" target="_blank">@clydeprestowitz</a>Sheila A. Smith&nbsp;is senior fellow for Japan studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). She is the author of&nbsp;Intimate Rivals: Japanese Domestic Politics and a Rising China&nbsp;(Columbia University Press, 2015) and&nbsp;Japan's New Politics and the U.S.-Japan Alliance&nbsp;(Council on Foreign Relations, June 2014). Her current research focuses on how geostrategic change in Asia is shaping Japan's strategic choices. In the fall of 2014, Smith began a project on Northeast Asian Nationalisms and Alliance Management.&nbsp;Smith is a regular contributor to the CFR blog Asia Unbound, as well as major media outlets in the United States and Asia.&nbsp;Smith has been a visiting researcher at two leading Japanese foreign and security policy think tanks, the Japan Institute of International Affairs and the Research Institute for Peace and Security, and at the University of Tokyo and the University of the Ryukyus.&nbsp;Twitter:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/SheilaSmithCFR" target="_blank">@SheilaSmithCFR</a>Joshua Walker&nbsp;is&nbsp;the Vice President of Global Programs at APCO Worldwide, a leading strategic communications firm based in Washington.&nbsp;Before joining the private sector, Dr. Walker worked at the U.S. Department of State, most recently as a senior advisor to Secretaries Kerry and Clinton. He is also a Transatlantic Fellow in the Asia Program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States and he teaches the Politics of National Security at the George Washington University’s Elliot Graduate School of International Affairs.&nbsp;Dr. Walker has written for a variety of print media including the&nbsp;Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, International Affairs, International Herald Tribune,&nbsp;and&nbsp;The&nbsp;New Republic. He is a regular commentator and contributor on international affairs for a variety of media outlets including Al Jazeera, BBC, CNN, NBC, along with many others, and he is a&nbsp;Huffington Post&nbsp;and&nbsp;War on the Rocks&nbsp;blogger.&nbsp;Twitter:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/drjwalk" target="_blank">@drjwalk</a>

A panel discussion with:

<ul>
	<li>E. Wayne Merry, American Foreign Policy Council</li>
	<li>
	Sheila&nbsp;Smith, Council on Foreign Relations
	</li>
	<li>
	Joshua&nbsp;Walker, German Marshall Fund
	</li>
</ul>

Moderator:&nbsp;Clyde&nbsp;Prestowitz, President and Founder of the Economic Strategic Institue&nbsp;

Japan-Russia relations are at an important crossroads. This May Japan will preside over the annual meeting of G7 countries, a club that Russia was suspended from in 2014 following the seizure of Crimea. Despite Moscow's current international exclusion, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has reportedly snubbed an appeal by U.S. President Barack Obama, who asked that he not visit Russia before the summit.

Will Japan use the G7 opportunity to strengthen its ties with Russia? What are the prospects of reconciling the long-standing territorial and treaty disputes? How has Japan related to Russia post-Ukraine crisis, and where has it diverged from the West? Can Moscow serve as Tokyo’s partner to balance against China’s rise? The Center on Global Interests is pleased to invite you to this timely discussion. Q&amp;A with the audience will follow.

Lunch will be served.&nbsp;This event is on the record.&nbsp;Join the discussion with&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/CGI_DC" target="_blank">@CGI_DC</a>

<h3>About the Speakers:</h3>

E. Wayne Merry&nbsp;is Senior Fellow for Europe and Eurasia at the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington, DC. During a 26-year diplomatic career in the United States' Foreign Service, he worked as political analyst in American embassies in Moscow, Tunis, East Berlin, Athens, and the U.S. Mission to the UN in New York. Mr. Merry also served as Regional Director for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia at the Pentagon, and he was a program director at the Atlantic Council. In 2014 he published "Back to the G7: Russia's Expulsion from the Group of Eight and the End of the Post-Cold War World" for CGI.&nbsp;

Clyde Prestowitz&nbsp;is the founder and President of the Economic Strategy Institute (ESI) where he has become one of the world’s leading writers and strategists on globalization and competitiveness and an influential adviser to the U.S. and other governments. He is also the author of the bestselling books&nbsp;The Betrayal of American&nbsp;Prosperity,&nbsp;Three Billion New Capitalists,&nbsp;Rogue Nation, and&nbsp;Trading Places.&nbsp;Prior to founding ESI, Mr. Prestowitz served as Counselor to the Secretary of Commerce in the Reagan Administration where he headed U.S. negotiations with Japan, Korea, the EU, Southeast Asia, and Latin America and served as a leader of the first U.S. trade mission to China. Subsequently, he became a Fellow of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and was appointed Vice Chairman of President Clinton’s Commission on Trade and Investment in the Asia-Pacific Region as well as a member of the Advisory Board of the U.S. Export-Import Bank.&nbsp;Twitter:&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/clydeprestowitz" target="_blank">@clydeprestowitz</a>

Sheila A. Smith&nbsp;is senior fellow for Japan studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). She is the author of&nbsp;Intimate Rivals: Japanese Domestic Politics and a Rising China&nbsp;(Columbia University Press, 2015) and&nbsp;Japan's New Politics and the U.S.-Japan Alliance&nbsp;(Council on Foreign Relations, June 2014). Her current research focuses on how geostrategic change in Asia is shaping Japan's strategic choices. In the fall of 2014, Smith began a project on Northeast Asian Nationalisms and Alliance Management.&nbsp;Smith is a regular contributor to the CFR blog Asia Unbound, as well as major media outlets in the United States and Asia.&nbsp;Smith has been a visiting researcher at two leading Japanese foreign and security policy think tanks, the Japan Institute of International Affairs and the Research Institute for Peace and Security, and at the University of Tokyo and the University of the Ryukyus.&nbsp;Twitter:&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/SheilaSmithCFR" target="_blank">@SheilaSmithCFR</a>

Joshua Walker&nbsp;is&nbsp;the Vice President of Global Programs at APCO Worldwide, a leading strategic communications firm based in Washington.&nbsp;Before joining the private sector, Dr. Walker worked at the U.S. Department of State, most recently as a senior advisor to Secretaries Kerry and Clinton. He is also a Transatlantic Fellow in the Asia Program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States and he teaches the Politics of National Security at the George Washington University’s Elliot Graduate School of International Affairs.&nbsp;Dr. Walker has written for a variety of print media including the&nbsp;Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, International Affairs, International Herald Tribune,&nbsp;and&nbsp;The&nbsp;New Republic. He is a regular commentator and contributor on international affairs for a variety of media outlets including Al Jazeera, BBC, CNN, NBC, along with many others, and he is a&nbsp;Huffington Post&nbsp;and&nbsp;War on the Rocks&nbsp;blogger.&nbsp;Twitter:&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/drjwalk" target="_blank">@drjwalk</a>

Senior Fellow for Japan Studies

Fellow

Russia, Japan, And The G7

With Russia's intervention in the Syrian conflict and Iran's return from global isolation, the year 2015 was a watershed for the Middle East. Today the situation remains in flux, with renewed tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia and Turkey's increasing clampdown on Kurdish fighters.&nbsp;After the opening of a new round of Syria peace talks in Geneva, the Center on Global Interests invites you to a discussion that will present&nbsp;a clearer picture of the major players and their respective interests in the Middle East. What are the goals of the Western and Arab Coalitions in Syria? How will Iran's engagement shift the balance of power in the region? How many wars are actually going on in Syria, and what are the motivations of the belligerents? And, ultimately, what are the long-term trajectories of U.S. and Russian foreign policy in the region?&nbsp;The discussion will be moderated by&nbsp;Karoun Demirjian,&nbsp;defense and foreign policy correspondent for&nbsp;The Washington Post.&nbsp;A Q&amp;A session will follow.&nbsp;<h3>Speakers</h3><a target="_blank" href="http://spgia.gmu.edu/faculty-staff/faculty/mark-n-katz/">Mark N. Katz</a>,&nbsp;Professor of Government and Politics, George Mason University; author of&nbsp;The Third World in Soviet Military Thought&nbsp;(1982),&nbsp;Russia and Arabia: Soviet Foreign Policy toward the Arabian Peninsula&nbsp;(1986),&nbsp;Gorbachev’s Military Policy in the Third World&nbsp;(1989), and&nbsp;Leaving without Losing: The War on Terror after Iraq and Afghanistan&nbsp;(2012), among others.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/michael-kofman">Michael Kofman</a>,&nbsp;Public Policy Fellow at the Kennan Institute, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; adviser to military and government officials on Russian/Eurasian security issues.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/david-ottaway">David Ottaway</a>,&nbsp;Senior Scholar in the&nbsp;Middle East Program, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; former Middle East correspondent,&nbsp;The Washington Post,&nbsp;and two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.<a target="_blank" href="http://explore.georgetown.edu/people/js243/">Jean-François Seznec</a>,&nbsp;Managing Partner of the Lafayette Group LLC and Senior Adviser to PFC Energy, Washington DC; current Visiting Associate Professor at Georgetown University’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies.

With Russia's intervention in the Syrian conflict and Iran's return from global isolation, the year 2015 was a watershed for the Middle East. Today the situation remains in flux, with renewed tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia and Turkey's increasing clampdown on Kurdish fighters.&nbsp;

After the opening of a new round of Syria peace talks in Geneva, the Center on Global Interests invites you to a discussion that will present&nbsp;a clearer picture of the major players and their respective interests in the Middle East. What are the goals of the Western and Arab Coalitions in Syria? How will Iran's engagement shift the balance of power in the region? How many wars are actually going on in Syria, and what are the motivations of the belligerents? And, ultimately, what are the long-term trajectories of U.S. and Russian foreign policy in the region?&nbsp;

The discussion will be moderated by&nbsp;Karoun Demirjian,&nbsp;defense and foreign policy correspondent for&nbsp;The Washington Post.&nbsp;A Q&amp;A session will follow.&nbsp;

<h3>Speakers</h3>

<a href="http://spgia.gmu.edu/faculty-staff/faculty/mark-n-katz/">Mark N. Katz</a>,&nbsp;Professor of Government and Politics, George Mason University; author of&nbsp;The Third World in Soviet Military Thought&nbsp;(1982),&nbsp;Russia and Arabia: Soviet Foreign Policy toward the Arabian Peninsula&nbsp;(1986),&nbsp;Gorbachev’s Military Policy in the Third World&nbsp;(1989), and&nbsp;Leaving without Losing: The War on Terror after Iraq and Afghanistan&nbsp;(2012), among others.

<a href="https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/michael-kofman">Michael Kofman</a>,&nbsp;Public Policy Fellow at the Kennan Institute, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; adviser to military and government officials on Russian/Eurasian security issues.

<a href="https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/david-ottaway">David Ottaway</a>,&nbsp;Senior Scholar in the&nbsp;Middle East Program, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; former Middle East correspondent,&nbsp;The Washington Post,&nbsp;and two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

<a href="http://explore.georgetown.edu/people/js243/">Jean-François Seznec</a>,&nbsp;Managing Partner of the Lafayette Group LLC and Senior Adviser to PFC Energy, Washington DC; current Visiting Associate Professor at Georgetown University’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies.

Senior Scholar

Defense and foreign policy correspondent

Professor of Government and Politics

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Global Energy Center

The U.S., Russia, And The New Middle East Disorder

<h2>A panel discussion with:</h2><ul>	<li>Michael Cecire, Foreign Policy Research Institute</li>	<li>Kemal Kirişci,&nbsp;Brookings Institution</li>	<li>Maria&nbsp;Snegovaya, Columbia University</li></ul>Moderator:&nbsp;<ul>	<li>Anya Schmemann, Council on Foreign Relations</li></ul>The escalating tensions between Turkey and Russia&mdash;brought to a head with the Turkish downing of a Russian Su-24 bomber jet in late November&mdash;have exposed the competing objectives that presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin are pursuing in Syria. Since that incident Russia has adopted sanctions and restricted tourism to Turkey, while Moscow and Ankara have lobbied mutual accusations of collusion with the Islamic State. This is set against a historic backdrop of centuries of competition between the two states on the Eurasian stage.With their ongoing disagreement over the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, along with Russia&rsquo;s recent move to punish those who deny the disputed genocide of Armenians during WWI, the latest tensions now threaten to spill over into the Caucasus. What motivates each side in the dispute, and where can we expect it to go in 2016? What implications would a protracted Russo-Turkish split have on Eurasian, and Transatlantic, security? CGI is pleased to welcome to you to a discussion on this timely topic.Light refreshments will be provided.&nbsp;Join the discussion with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/CGI_DC">@CGI_DC</a><h3>About the Speakers:</h3>Michael Cecire&nbsp;is an associate scholar at the Foreign Policy Research Institute&rsquo;s Project on Democratic Transitions. A Black Sea and Eurasia regional analyst, he was a visiting scholar at the Harriman Institute at Columbia University in fall 2011 and, before that, worked in Georgia as a policy consultant and analyst. Twitter:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/mhikaric">@mhikaric</a>Kemal Kirişci&nbsp;is the T&Uuml;SİAD senior fellow and director of the&nbsp;Center on the United States and Europe&#39;s&nbsp;Turkey Project&nbsp;at the Brookings Institution, where he runs the&nbsp;Turkey Project Policy Paper series and frequently writes on the latest developments in Turkey. Prior to joining Brookings, Kirişci was a professor of international relations and held the Jean Monnet chair in European integration in the department of political science and international relations at Boğazi&ccedil;i University in Istanbul. His recent publications include&nbsp;&quot;Not likely to go home: Syrian refugees and the challenges to Turkey&mdash;and the international community&rdquo;&nbsp;(Brookings, September 2015) and&nbsp;&quot;Retracing the Caucasian Circle: Considerations and constraints for U.S., EU, and Turkish engagement in the South Caucasus&quot;&nbsp;(Brookings, July 2015). Kirişci is the author of several books on Turkey, including, most recenty,&nbsp;Turkey and Its Neighbors: Foreign Relations in Transition&nbsp;(co-authored with R. Linden et al; Lynne Reinner, 2011). Twitter:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/kemalkirisci">@kemalkirisci</a>Maria&nbsp;Snegovaya&nbsp;is a PhD candidate in Comparative Politics and Statistical Methods at Columbia University, where she studies the sources of support for populist parties in Eastern Europe. Maria writes a biweekly column for Russia&#39;s&nbsp;Vedomosti&nbsp;business daily and is a regular contributor to&nbsp;The Washington Post, The New Republic, The American Interest,&nbsp;andPolitico Europe.&nbsp;Her writing on Russia&#39;s internal and external affairs, nuances of its political system, Ukraine&#39;s domestic situation, and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has been cited by David Brooks of&nbsp;The New York Times&cedil; Bloomberg&nbsp;and&nbsp;The Economist, among others. Twitter:<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MSnegovaya">@MSnegovaya</a>Anya Schmemann&nbsp;is&nbsp;Washington Director of Global Communications and Media Relations and Director of the Task Force Program&nbsp;at the Council on Foreign Relations. She previously served as&nbsp;Assistant Dean of the School of International Service at American University. Her articles have appeared in&nbsp;The Atlantic, The Huffington Post,&nbsp;and&nbsp;U.S. News &amp; World Report,&nbsp;among others. Twitter:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/aschmemann">@aschmemann</a>

<h2>A panel discussion with:</h2>

<ul>
	<li>Michael Cecire, Foreign Policy Research Institute</li>
	<li>Kemal Kirişci,&nbsp;Brookings Institution</li>
	<li>Maria&nbsp;Snegovaya, Columbia University</li>
</ul>

Moderator:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Anya Schmemann, Council on Foreign Relations</li>
</ul>

The escalating tensions between Turkey and Russia&mdash;brought to a head with the Turkish downing of a Russian Su-24 bomber jet in late November&mdash;have exposed the competing objectives that presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin are pursuing in Syria. Since that incident Russia has adopted sanctions and restricted tourism to Turkey, while Moscow and Ankara have lobbied mutual accusations of collusion with the Islamic State. This is set against a historic backdrop of centuries of competition between the two states on the Eurasian stage.

With their ongoing disagreement over the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, along with Russia&rsquo;s recent move to punish those who deny the disputed genocide of Armenians during WWI, the latest tensions now threaten to spill over into the Caucasus. What motivates each side in the dispute, and where can we expect it to go in 2016? What implications would a protracted Russo-Turkish split have on Eurasian, and Transatlantic, security? CGI is pleased to welcome to you to a discussion on this timely topic.

Light refreshments will be provided.&nbsp;Join the discussion with&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/CGI_DC">@CGI_DC</a>

<h3>About the Speakers:</h3>

Michael Cecire&nbsp;is an associate scholar at the Foreign Policy Research Institute&rsquo;s Project on Democratic Transitions. A Black Sea and Eurasia regional analyst, he was a visiting scholar at the Harriman Institute at Columbia University in fall 2011 and, before that, worked in Georgia as a policy consultant and analyst. Twitter:&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/mhikaric">@mhikaric</a>

Kemal Kirişci&nbsp;is the T&Uuml;SİAD senior fellow and director of the&nbsp;Center on the United States and Europe&#39;s&nbsp;Turkey Project&nbsp;at the Brookings Institution, where he runs the&nbsp;Turkey Project Policy Paper series and frequently writes on the latest developments in Turkey. Prior to joining Brookings, Kirişci was a professor of international relations and held the Jean Monnet chair in European integration in the department of political science and international relations at Boğazi&ccedil;i University in Istanbul. His recent publications include&nbsp;&quot;Not likely to go home: Syrian refugees and the challenges to Turkey&mdash;and the international community&rdquo;&nbsp;(Brookings, September 2015) and&nbsp;&quot;Retracing the Caucasian Circle: Considerations and constraints for U.S., EU, and Turkish engagement in the South Caucasus&quot;&nbsp;(Brookings, July 2015). Kirişci is the author of several books on Turkey, including, most recenty,&nbsp;Turkey and Its Neighbors: Foreign Relations in Transition&nbsp;(co-authored with R. Linden et al; Lynne Reinner, 2011). Twitter:&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/kemalkirisci">@kemalkirisci</a>

Maria&nbsp;Snegovaya&nbsp;is a PhD candidate in Comparative Politics and Statistical Methods at Columbia University, where she studies the sources of support for populist parties in Eastern Europe. Maria writes a biweekly column for Russia&#39;s&nbsp;Vedomosti&nbsp;business daily and is a regular contributor to&nbsp;The Washington Post, The New Republic, The American Interest,&nbsp;andPolitico Europe.&nbsp;Her writing on Russia&#39;s internal and external affairs, nuances of its political system, Ukraine&#39;s domestic situation, and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has been cited by David Brooks of&nbsp;The New York Times&cedil; Bloomberg&nbsp;and&nbsp;The Economist, among others. Twitter:<a href="https://twitter.com/MSnegovaya">@MSnegovaya</a>

Anya Schmemann&nbsp;is&nbsp;Washington Director of Global Communications and Media Relations and Director of the Task Force Program&nbsp;at the Council on Foreign Relations. She previously served as&nbsp;Assistant Dean of the School of International Service at American University. Her articles have appeared in&nbsp;The Atlantic, The Huffington Post,&nbsp;and&nbsp;U.S. News &amp; World Report,&nbsp;among others. Twitter:&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/aschmemann">@aschmemann</a>

Associate Scholar, Project on Democratic Transitions

Senior Fellow and Director, Turkey Project

PhD Candidate

Washington Director of Global Communications and Media Relations

Turkey-Russia Conflict: What's Next?

While presidential elections steal the headlines, it is regional elections that often reveal the most about Russia’s political system. What strategies does the opposition use to challenge the ruling United Russia party, and how does the Kremlin respond? How has the role of opposition parties evolved since Vladimir Putin returned to the presidency in 2012–and what prospects do they have in the future?Fresh off an election round this September and in the run-up to the Russian parliamentary elections in 2016, &nbsp;the Center on Global Interests is pleased to invite you to a discussion with one of Russia’s top experts on regional politics.A wine reception will follow. Space is limited; attendees must RSVP in advance.Rostislav Turovsky&nbsp;is the Vice President of the Center for Political Technologies, one of the oldest independent think tanks in Russia, and is the head of research&nbsp;at the&nbsp;Laboratory for Regional Political Studies at Moscow’s Higher School of Economics (HSE). He has previously served as an adviser and senior researcher at the Gorbachev Foundation, the Reform Foundation and the Likhachev Foundation.

While presidential elections steal the headlines, it is regional elections that often reveal the most about Russia’s political system. What strategies does the opposition use to challenge the ruling United Russia party, and how does the Kremlin respond? How has the role of opposition parties evolved since Vladimir Putin returned to the presidency in 2012–and what prospects do they have in the future?

Fresh off an election round this September and in the run-up to the Russian parliamentary elections in 2016, &nbsp;the Center on Global Interests is pleased to invite you to a discussion with one of Russia’s top experts on regional politics.

A wine reception will follow. Space is limited; attendees must RSVP in advance.

Rostislav Turovsky&nbsp;is the Vice President of the Center for Political Technologies, one of the oldest independent think tanks in Russia, and is the head of research&nbsp;at the&nbsp;Laboratory for Regional Political Studies at Moscow’s Higher School of Economics (HSE). He has previously served as an adviser and senior researcher at the Gorbachev Foundation, the Reform Foundation and the Likhachev Foundation.

Vice President

Russia's Regional Elections: Kremlin And Opposition Strategies

The idea of the “Russian World” is often invoked by President Vladimir Putin but&nbsp;remains an ambiguous notion even within Russia itself, sending mixed signals about the&nbsp;Kremlin’s intended domestic and foreign policy.Please join&nbsp;the Center on Global Interests&nbsp;and the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University for a discussion on the historical origins and contemporary political usage of this term, especially&nbsp;within the context of the Ukrainian crisis. This event will mark the release of CGI’s report, “‘Russian World:’ Russia’s Soft Power and Geopolitical Imagination” authored by Marlene Laruelle, Director of the Central Asia Program at George Washington University. CGI Director Konstantin Avramov will moderate the discussion.

The idea of the “Russian World” is often invoked by President Vladimir Putin but&nbsp;remains an ambiguous notion even within Russia itself, sending mixed signals about the&nbsp;Kremlin’s intended domestic and foreign policy.

Please join&nbsp;the Center on Global Interests&nbsp;and the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University for a discussion on the historical origins and contemporary political usage of this term, especially&nbsp;within the context of the Ukrainian crisis. This event will mark the release of CGI’s report, “‘Russian World:’ Russia’s Soft Power and Geopolitical Imagination” authored by Marlene Laruelle, Director of the Central Asia Program at George Washington University. CGI Director Konstantin Avramov will moderate the discussion.

Associate Director, Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies

REPORT LAUNCH: “Russian World:” Russia’s Soft Power and Geopolitical Imagination

withJames Fallows&nbsp;(moderator),&nbsp;The Atlanticnational correspondent and former speech writer to President Jimmy CarterAs Congress prepares for a crucial vote on the Iran deal in September, please join the Center on Global Interests for a timely debate on its merits. Our panel of distinguished experts will go beyond partisan lines to present a wide range of views on the national-security stakes involved for the United States, Israel, Iran, and neighboring powers.Following a discussion moderated by James Fallows, who has covered the Iran debate for&nbsp;The Atlantic, the speakers will have a Q&amp;A with the audience.About the SpeakersIntroductory remarks:<ul>	<li>Ambassador Richard Burt, CGI Board Member; Managing Director for Europe, Russia and Eurasia at McLarty Associates and U.S. Chair of Global Zero; Chief U.S. Nuclear Arms Negotiator in the conclusion of the U.S.-Russian Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) in 1991.&nbsp;</li></ul>Moderator:&nbsp;<ul>	<li>James Fallows, National Correspondent for&nbsp;The Atlantic&nbsp;and former speechwriter for President Jimmy Carter; recipient of the National Magazine Award and the American Book Award for nonfiction.</li></ul>Panelists:<ul>	<li>Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering, Former&nbsp;Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs; Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, the Russian Federation, Israel, India and Jordan; core member of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://iranprojectfcsny.org/about-the-iran-project/">The Iran Project</a>;</li>	<li>Ariane Tabatabai,&nbsp;Visiting Assistant Professor of Security Studies, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, and columnist for&nbsp;The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists;&nbsp;Former Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow and Associate at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/ArianeTabatabai">@ArianeTabatabai</a></li>	<li>Mike Singh, Lane-Swig Senior Fellow and Managing Director at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy; former Senior Director for Middle East Affairs at the National Security Council;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/michaelsinghdc">@MichaelSinghDC</a></li>	<li>Kelsey Davenport, Director for Nonproliferation Policy, Arms Control Association;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/KelseyDav?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">@KelseyDav&nbsp;</a></li>	<li>Ariel Cohen,&nbsp;Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council; Director, Center for Energy, Natural Resources &amp; Geopolitics at the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security; Principal, International Market Analysis Ltd.;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/Dr_Ariel_Cohen">@Dr_Ariel_Cohen</a></li>	<li>Larry Cohler-Esses, Assistant Managing Editor,&nbsp;The Forward;&nbsp;first journalist from a Jewish, pro-Israeli newspaper to receive a visa to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/12/forward-iran-report-jewish-newspaper">report from Iran</a>&nbsp;since the 1979 Revolution.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/cohleresses">@CohlerEsses</a></li></ul> A catered lunch will be provided. This event is on the record. Members of the press should register in advance with Olga Kuzmina at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="mailto:okuzmina@globalinterests.org" target="_blank">okuzmina@globalinterests.org.</a>

with

James Fallows&nbsp;(moderator),&nbsp;The Atlantic&nbsp;national correspondent and former speech writer to President Jimmy Carter

As Congress prepares for a crucial vote on the Iran deal in September, please join the Center on Global Interests for a timely debate on its merits. Our panel of distinguished experts will go beyond partisan lines to present a wide range of views on the national-security stakes involved for the United States, Israel, Iran, and neighboring powers.

Following a discussion moderated by James Fallows, who has covered the Iran debate for&nbsp;The Atlantic, the speakers will have a Q&amp;A with the audience.

About the Speakers

Introductory remarks:

<ul>
	<li>Ambassador Richard Burt, CGI Board Member; Managing Director for Europe, Russia and Eurasia at McLarty Associates and U.S. Chair of Global Zero; Chief U.S. Nuclear Arms Negotiator in the conclusion of the U.S.-Russian Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) in 1991.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Moderator:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>James Fallows, National Correspondent for&nbsp;The Atlantic&nbsp;and former speechwriter for President Jimmy Carter; recipient of the National Magazine Award and the American Book Award for nonfiction.</li>
</ul>

Panelists:

<ul>
	<li>Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering, Former&nbsp;Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs; Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, the Russian Federation, Israel, India and Jordan; core member of&nbsp;<a href="http://iranprojectfcsny.org/about-the-iran-project/">The Iran Project</a>;</li>
	<li>Ariane Tabatabai,&nbsp;Visiting Assistant Professor of Security Studies, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, and columnist for&nbsp;The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists;&nbsp;Former Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow and Associate at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs;&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ArianeTabatabai">@ArianeTabatabai</a></li>
	<li>Mike Singh, Lane-Swig Senior Fellow and Managing Director at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy; former Senior Director for Middle East Affairs at the National Security Council;&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/michaelsinghdc">@MichaelSinghDC</a></li>
	<li>Kelsey Davenport, Director for Nonproliferation Policy, Arms Control Association;&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/KelseyDav?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">@KelseyDav&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li>Ariel Cohen,&nbsp;Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council; Director, Center for Energy, Natural Resources &amp; Geopolitics at the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security; Principal, International Market Analysis Ltd.;&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Dr_Ariel_Cohen">@Dr_Ariel_Cohen</a></li>
	<li>Larry Cohler-Esses, Assistant Managing Editor,&nbsp;The Forward;&nbsp;first journalist from a Jewish, pro-Israeli newspaper to receive a visa to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/12/forward-iran-report-jewish-newspaper">report from Iran</a>&nbsp;since the 1979 Revolution.&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/cohleresses">@CohlerEsses</a></li>
</ul>

 

A catered lunch will be provided. This event is on the record. Members of the press should register in advance with Olga Kuzmina at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:okuzmina@globalinterests.org" target="_blank">okuzmina@globalinterests.org.</a>

National Correspondent

Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF TEACHING, Center for Security Studies (CSS)

Senior Fellow and Managing Director

Director for Nonproliferation Policy

Assistant Managing Editor

 Iran Nuclear Deal: Stability or Threat? with James Fallows

Please join the Center on Global Interests and the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at George Washington University for a discussion on the political, economic, and social implications of Russia hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup. This event marks the beginning of a joint CGI-Futbolgrad&nbsp;project on the World Cup that will continue this discussion through various panels, publications, and digital journalism leading up to the event.About the Speakers:Lisa Delpy Neirotti&nbsp;is a pioneer in the field of sports tourism having served over twenty years as a professor of sport, event, and tourism management and co-authored&nbsp;The Ultimate Guide to Sport Event Management and Marketing. She is a member of the Women’s Sport Foundation (WSF), Up2Us, and Council for Responsible Sports advisory boards as well as President of the DC Chapter of Women In Sports and Events (WISE).Marlene Laruelle explores contemporary political, social and cultural changes in Russia and Central Asia through the prism of ideologies and nationalism. She is the author of&nbsp;Russian Eurasianism: An Ideology of Empire&nbsp;(Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008),&nbsp;In the Name of the Nation: Nationalism and Politics in Contemporary Russia&nbsp;(Palgrave, 2009), and&nbsp;Russia’s Strategies in the Arctic and the Future of the Far North(M.E. Sharpe, 2013),&nbsp;and is editor of&nbsp;Eurasianism and the European Far Right: Reshaping the Europe-Russia Relationship (Lexington, 2015).Lori Lindsey&nbsp;has been playing professional soccer since she graduated from the University of Virginia in 2002, where she was two-time ACC player of the year. A member of the US 2011 World Cup team and recent anchor of the Washington Spirit’s midfield and fan favorite, Lori is an active ambassador for the game.Manuel Veth&nbsp;is a PhD candidate at King’s College London and creator of the website&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://futbolgrad.com/">Futbolgrad</a>, which features articles and stories from the post-Soviet space through the prism of football, culture, history and politics. He is working on a dissertation entitled “Selling the People’s Game: Football’s transition from Communism to Capitalism in the Soviet Union and its Successor States.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Please join the Center on Global Interests and the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at George Washington University for a discussion on the political, economic, and social implications of Russia hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup. This event marks the beginning of a joint CGI-Futbolgrad&nbsp;project on the World Cup that will continue this discussion through various panels, publications, and digital journalism leading up to the event.

About the Speakers:

Lisa Delpy Neirotti&nbsp;is a pioneer in the field of sports tourism having served over twenty years as a professor of sport, event, and tourism management and co-authored&nbsp;The Ultimate Guide to Sport Event Management and Marketing. She is a member of the Women’s Sport Foundation (WSF), Up2Us, and Council for Responsible Sports advisory boards as well as President of the DC Chapter of Women In Sports and Events (WISE).

Marlene Laruelle explores contemporary political, social and cultural changes in Russia and Central Asia through the prism of ideologies and nationalism. She is the author of&nbsp;Russian Eurasianism: An Ideology of Empire&nbsp;(Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008),&nbsp;In the Name of the Nation: Nationalism and Politics in Contemporary Russia&nbsp;(Palgrave, 2009), and&nbsp;Russia’s Strategies in the Arctic and the Future of the Far North(M.E. Sharpe, 2013),&nbsp;and is editor of&nbsp;Eurasianism and the European Far Right: Reshaping the Europe-Russia Relationship (Lexington, 2015).

Lori Lindsey&nbsp;has been playing professional soccer since she graduated from the University of Virginia in 2002, where she was two-time ACC player of the year. A member of the US 2011 World Cup team and recent anchor of the Washington Spirit’s midfield and fan favorite, Lori is an active ambassador for the game.

Manuel Veth&nbsp;is a PhD candidate at King’s College London and creator of the website&nbsp;<a href="http://futbolgrad.com/">Futbolgrad</a>, which features articles and stories from the post-Soviet space through the prism of football, culture, history and politics. He is working on a dissertation entitled “Selling the People’s Game: Football’s transition from Communism to Capitalism in the Soviet Union and its Successor States.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Director, Master of Tourism Administration Program and Associate Professor of Sport Management

Research Student

Professional Soccer Player

2018 FIFA World Cup Russia: Political, Economic, and Social Implications

Speakers:<ul>	<li>Sergei Aleksashenko, former Deputy Minister of Finance of Russia and&nbsp;former Deputy Governor of the Russian Central Bank;</li>	<li>Ken Rapoza, journalist and Forbes contributor;</li>	<li>Georgy Toloraya, Executive Director of the&nbsp;Russian National Committee on BRICS&nbsp;Research.</li></ul>As leaders prepare for the 7th annual BRICS summit, to be held July 7-8 in Ufa, Russia, a number of doubts have arisen about the future outlook for the group.Please join the Center on Global Interests for a discussion on the current state of the BRICS and the potential trajectory of its development. &nbsp;This event will mark the release of CGI&rsquo;s newest publication:&nbsp;a pro/contra look at the&nbsp;viability&nbsp;of the&nbsp;BRICS,&nbsp;authored by Sergei Aleksashenko,&nbsp;Ken Rapoza and Georgy Toloraya.CGI Program Director Konstantin Avramov will give opening remarks and moderate the discussion.Light refreshments will be served. This event is on the record.About the Speakers:Sergey Aleksashenko, a former scholar-in-residence in the Carnegie Moscow Center&rsquo;s Economic Policy Program, is currently residing in Washington, D.C. as an independent consultant for Private Solutions LLC. From 1993 to 1995, he served as Russia&rsquo;s Deputy Minister of Finance, responsible for macroeconomic and taxation policy. While working for both the Russian central bank and the Ministry of Finance, Aleksashenko was in charge of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund. Aleksashenko was first deputy chairman of the Russian Central Bank, where he was responsible for monetary and currency policy from 1995 to 1998. He served as deputy director general and managing director of Interros, a Russian private investment company, from 2000 to 2004 and as head of Merrill Lynch&rsquo;s Moscow office from 2006 to 2008. The author of numerous articles on Russia&rsquo;s economy, he is also the author of&nbsp;Battle for the Ruble&nbsp;(Alma Mater, Moscow, 1999; Vremya, 2008).Ken Rapoza&nbsp;is a journalist and contributor at Forbes, covering business and investing in emerging markets. Rapoza has written about Brazil pre-Lula and post-Lula, and spent the last five years covering all aspects of the country for Dow Jones, The Wall Street Journal and Barron&rsquo;s. Before 2005 he covered the nation&rsquo;s politics for the&nbsp;Boston Globe&nbsp;and&nbsp;The Nation. Rapoza&rsquo;s current work focuses primarily on Brazil, Russia, India and China.Georgy Toloraya&nbsp;is a Russian diplomat with years of experience in Asian affairs, having served two postings in North Korea (1977&ndash;80 and 1984-7), then in South Korea as a Deputy Chief of the Russian Embassy (1993-8) and later as the senior Russian Foreign Ministry official (Deputy Director-General) in charge of the Korean Peninsula (1998&ndash;2003). He later worked as the Consul General of Russia in Sydney, Australia (2003&ndash;2007).&nbsp;He has published a number of articles and books on East Asia, collaborated as a part-time researcher with noted Russian academic institutes including the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), and teaches Asian politics at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). In 2007-2008 he was a visiting fellow at the&nbsp;Brookings Institution&nbsp;in Washington, D.C.

Speakers:

<ul>
	<li>Sergei Aleksashenko, former Deputy Minister of Finance of Russia and&nbsp;former Deputy Governor of the Russian Central Bank;</li>
	<li>Ken Rapoza, journalist and Forbes contributor;</li>
	<li>Georgy Toloraya, Executive Director of the&nbsp;Russian National Committee on BRICS&nbsp;Research.</li>
</ul>

As leaders prepare for the 7th annual BRICS summit, to be held July 7-8 in Ufa, Russia, a number of doubts have arisen about the future outlook for the group.

Please join the Center on Global Interests for a discussion on the current state of the BRICS and the potential trajectory of its development. &nbsp;This event will mark the release of CGI&rsquo;s newest publication:&nbsp;a pro/contra look at the&nbsp;viability&nbsp;of the&nbsp;BRICS,&nbsp;authored by Sergei Aleksashenko,&nbsp;Ken Rapoza and Georgy Toloraya.

CGI Program Director Konstantin Avramov will give opening remarks and moderate the discussion.

Light refreshments will be served. This event is on the record.

About the Speakers:

Sergey Aleksashenko, a former scholar-in-residence in the Carnegie Moscow Center&rsquo;s Economic Policy Program, is currently residing in Washington, D.C. as an independent consultant for Private Solutions LLC. From 1993 to 1995, he served as Russia&rsquo;s Deputy Minister of Finance, responsible for macroeconomic and taxation policy. While working for both the Russian central bank and the Ministry of Finance, Aleksashenko was in charge of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund. Aleksashenko was first deputy chairman of the Russian Central Bank, where he was responsible for monetary and currency policy from 1995 to 1998. He served as deputy director general and managing director of Interros, a Russian private investment company, from 2000 to 2004 and as head of Merrill Lynch&rsquo;s Moscow office from 2006 to 2008. The author of numerous articles on Russia&rsquo;s economy, he is also the author of&nbsp;Battle for the Ruble&nbsp;(Alma Mater, Moscow, 1999; Vremya, 2008).

Ken Rapoza&nbsp;is a journalist and contributor at Forbes, covering business and investing in emerging markets. Rapoza has written about Brazil pre-Lula and post-Lula, and spent the last five years covering all aspects of the country for Dow Jones, The Wall Street Journal and Barron&rsquo;s. Before 2005 he covered the nation&rsquo;s politics for the&nbsp;Boston Globe&nbsp;and&nbsp;The Nation. Rapoza&rsquo;s current work focuses primarily on Brazil, Russia, India and China.

Georgy Toloraya&nbsp;is a Russian diplomat with years of experience in Asian affairs, having served two postings in North Korea (1977&ndash;80 and 1984-7), then in South Korea as a Deputy Chief of the Russian Embassy (1993-8) and later as the senior Russian Foreign Ministry official (Deputy Director-General) in charge of the Korean Peninsula (1998&ndash;2003). He later worked as the Consul General of Russia in Sydney, Australia (2003&ndash;2007).&nbsp;He has published a number of articles and books on East Asia, collaborated as a part-time researcher with noted Russian academic institutes including the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), and teaches Asian politics at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). In 2007-2008 he was a visiting fellow at the&nbsp;Brookings Institution&nbsp;in Washington, D.C.

BRICS: Dead or Alive?

The Russian-American relationship extends beyond politics into the literary traditions of both countries. What role has Russia played in the American novel, and how have Russian authors written about America? How have these mutual portrayals evolved over time—and to what extent have they shaped popular thought?Please join the Center on Global Interests as we host Dmitry Bykov, one of Russia’s leading contemporary writers, for an evening of literary discussion. CGI President Nikolai Zlobin, author of a series of bestselling books for Russians about America, will moderate the talk.A wine reception will follow.About the Speakers:Dmitry Bykov&nbsp;is a prolific novelist, poet, columnist, and radio personality. One of Russia’s leading public intellectuals, he is widely known for his projectCitizen Poet, a satirical criticism-in-verse of contemporary life in Russia. Mr. Bykov is a two-time recipient of the National Bestseller Prize, awarded yearly for the best book written in the Russian language, and received the country's top literary honor—the Big Book Award—for his biography of Boris Pasternak (2006). Most recently, Mr. Bykov was a visiting lecturer at Princeton University’s Graduate School and a Maya Brin Resident at the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at the University of Maryland.Nikolai Zlobin&nbsp;is a political scientist, journalist and historian, who served as adviser to Presidents Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin before emigrating to the United States in 1993. Following a series of teaching positions at Georgetown, Stanford and Harvard Universities, he emerged as a leading commentator on U.S.-Russian relations. Dr. Zlobin developed a wide commercial following with the publication of his two volumes that sought to acquaint Russians with everyday life in the United States:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/11/world/europe/book-gives-russians-close-up-of-american-minutiae.html?ref=europe">America–What a Life!</a>&nbsp;(2012) and&nbsp;America–Bane of Heaven&nbsp;(2013).&nbsp;He is a permanent member of the Valdai Discussion Club and frequently appears on prominent Russian political talk shows, including on the radio station&nbsp;Echo of Moscow.

The Russian-American relationship extends beyond politics into the literary traditions of both countries. What role has Russia played in the American novel, and how have Russian authors written about America? How have these mutual portrayals evolved over time—and to what extent have they shaped popular thought?

Please join the Center on Global Interests as we host Dmitry Bykov, one of Russia’s leading contemporary writers, for an evening of literary discussion. CGI President Nikolai Zlobin, author of a series of bestselling books for Russians about America, will moderate the talk.

A wine reception will follow.

About the Speakers:

Dmitry Bykov&nbsp;is a prolific novelist, poet, columnist, and radio personality. One of Russia’s leading public intellectuals, he is widely known for his projectCitizen Poet, a satirical criticism-in-verse of contemporary life in Russia. Mr. Bykov is a two-time recipient of the National Bestseller Prize, awarded yearly for the best book written in the Russian language, and received the country's top literary honor—the Big Book Award—for his biography of Boris Pasternak (2006). Most recently, Mr. Bykov was a visiting lecturer at Princeton University’s Graduate School and a Maya Brin Resident at the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at the University of Maryland.

Nikolai Zlobin&nbsp;is a political scientist, journalist and historian, who served as adviser to Presidents Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin before emigrating to the United States in 1993. Following a series of teaching positions at Georgetown, Stanford and Harvard Universities, he emerged as a leading commentator on U.S.-Russian relations. Dr. Zlobin developed a wide commercial following with the publication of his two volumes that sought to acquaint Russians with everyday life in the United States:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/11/world/europe/book-gives-russians-close-up-of-american-minutiae.html?ref=europe">America–What a Life!</a>&nbsp;(2012) and&nbsp;America–Bane of Heaven&nbsp;(2013).&nbsp;He is a permanent member of the Valdai Discussion Club and frequently appears on prominent Russian political talk shows, including on the radio station&nbsp;Echo of Moscow.

Russia in the American Novel

A discussion with&nbsp;Ilya Yashin, Russian opposition activist&nbsp;and organizer of the posthumous publicationOn February 27, 2015, the Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was assassinated&nbsp;in view&nbsp;of the Moscow Kremlin. Two days prior, he had approached his friend Ilya Yashin to ask for his assistance on a sensitive investigation: tracking Russia&#39;s secret&nbsp;military involvement in Ukraine.&nbsp;After the&nbsp;murder of the former deputy prime minister, Yashin led a group of opposition activists and journalists to&nbsp;piece together&nbsp;Nemtsov&#39;s&nbsp;findings and publish the report&nbsp;in Russia and abroad.How was the information compiled? What&nbsp;pressures did Yashin and his colleagues face&nbsp;when trying to bring the report to publication?&nbsp;And how do they hope&nbsp;the report&nbsp;will change the tide of Russian politics, and Putin&#39;s actions in Ukraine?Please join CGI and the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.4freerussia.org/" target="_blank">Free Russia Foundation</a>&nbsp;for an inside look at the creation of &quot;Putin. War&quot; with Ilya Yashin. Following&nbsp;a&nbsp;May 28&nbsp;English-language release at the Atlantic Council, this discussion will allow the audience to engage in an&nbsp;intimate discussion with the report&#39;s leading organizer through an open Q&amp;A format.&nbsp;This discussion is on the record and open to the public. A reception will follow.&nbsp;

A discussion with&nbsp;Ilya Yashin, Russian opposition activist&nbsp;and organizer of the posthumous publication

On February 27, 2015, the Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was assassinated&nbsp;in view&nbsp;of the Moscow Kremlin. Two days prior, he had approached his friend Ilya Yashin to ask for his assistance on a sensitive investigation: tracking Russia&#39;s secret&nbsp;military involvement in Ukraine.&nbsp;After the&nbsp;murder of the former deputy prime minister, Yashin led a group of opposition activists and journalists to&nbsp;piece together&nbsp;Nemtsov&#39;s&nbsp;findings and publish the report&nbsp;in Russia and abroad.

How was the information compiled? What&nbsp;pressures did Yashin and his colleagues face&nbsp;when trying to bring the report to publication?&nbsp;And how do they hope&nbsp;the report&nbsp;will change the tide of Russian politics, and Putin&#39;s actions in Ukraine?

Please join CGI and the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.4freerussia.org/" target="_blank">Free Russia Foundation</a>&nbsp;for an inside look at the creation of &quot;Putin. War&quot; with Ilya Yashin. Following&nbsp;a&nbsp;May 28&nbsp;English-language release at the Atlantic Council, this discussion will allow the audience to engage in an&nbsp;intimate discussion with the report&#39;s leading organizer through an open Q&amp;A format.&nbsp;

This discussion is on the record and open to the public. A reception will follow.&nbsp;

"Putin. War:" The Making of the Nemtsov Report

In the wake of the Ukrainian crisis, the Russian government has passed legislation suppressing foreign involvement in domestic NGOs and media outlets, while at the same time ramping up its own propaganda efforts.&nbsp;How can&nbsp;journalists preserve a forum for free discussion in such a climate&ndash;and is freedom of speech still possible in Russia?Please join the Center on Global Interests&nbsp;for a&nbsp;discussion with&nbsp;Alexey Venediktov, editor-in-chief of&nbsp;the influential radio station&nbsp;Ekho Moskvy&nbsp;(Echo of Moscow),&nbsp;described by some&nbsp;as the&nbsp;&ldquo;last bastion of free media in Russia.&rdquo; Mr. Venediktov will share his views on&nbsp;the media&nbsp;situtation in Russia, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and the state of U.S.-Russia relations.A wine reception will follow.The speaker will be accompanied by an English translator. This event will be on the record.

In the wake of the Ukrainian crisis, the Russian government has passed legislation suppressing foreign involvement in domestic NGOs and media outlets, while at the same time ramping up its own propaganda efforts.&nbsp;How can&nbsp;journalists preserve a forum for free discussion in such a climate&ndash;and is freedom of speech still possible in Russia?

Please join the Center on Global Interests&nbsp;for a&nbsp;discussion with&nbsp;Alexey Venediktov, editor-in-chief of&nbsp;the influential radio station&nbsp;Ekho Moskvy&nbsp;(Echo of Moscow),&nbsp;described by some&nbsp;as the&nbsp;&ldquo;last bastion of free media in Russia.&rdquo; Mr. Venediktov will share his views on&nbsp;the media&nbsp;situtation in Russia, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and the state of U.S.-Russia relations.

A wine reception will follow.

The speaker will be accompanied by an English translator. This event will be on the record.

 View from Russia: A Conversation with Alexey Venediktov, Echo of Moscow Editor-In-Chief

On a recent visit to Ankara, Putin announced the scrapping of the multibillion dollar South Stream gas pipeline project and signaled that a new link could be built with Turkey. Join us on December 17 for a discussion on the cancellation of South Stream and the resulting geopolitical and economic implications for the region. CGI is honored to welcome Edward Chow, senior fellow in the Energy and National Security Program at CSIS, and Tim Boersma,&nbsp;fellow and acting director of the Energy Security Initiative at Brookings, to consider what the latest development means for Europe, Russia, Turkey and the United States.&nbsp;CGI Program Director Konstantin Avramov will moderate the discussion.About the Speakers:Edward C. Chow&nbsp; is&nbsp;a senior fellow in the Energy and National Security Program at CSIS, is an international energy expert with more than 30 years of oil industry experience. He has worked in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, South America, Europe, and the former Soviet Union.Tim Boersma is a fellow and acting director in the Energy Security Initiative, part of the Foreign Policy Program at the Brookings Institution.&nbsp;Before starting his career in research, Tim spent five years in the private sector, working as a corporate counsel to the electricity production sector in the Netherlands.

On a recent visit to Ankara, Putin announced the scrapping of the multibillion dollar South Stream gas pipeline project and signaled that a new link could be built with Turkey. Join us on December 17 for a discussion on the cancellation of South Stream and the resulting geopolitical and economic implications for the region. CGI is honored to welcome Edward Chow, senior fellow in the Energy and National Security Program at CSIS, and Tim Boersma,&nbsp;fellow and acting director of the Energy Security Initiative at Brookings, to consider what the latest development means for Europe, Russia, Turkey and the United States.&nbsp;CGI Program Director Konstantin Avramov will moderate the discussion.

About the Speakers:

Edward C. Chow&nbsp; is&nbsp;a senior fellow in the Energy and National Security Program at CSIS, is an international energy expert with more than 30 years of oil industry experience. He has worked in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, South America, Europe, and the former Soviet Union.

Tim Boersma is a fellow and acting director in the Energy Security Initiative, part of the Foreign Policy Program at the Brookings Institution.&nbsp;Before starting his career in research, Tim spent five years in the private sector, working as a corporate counsel to the electricity production sector in the Netherlands.