Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion
"War in Ukraine: a turning point for the relationship between Central Europe and Russia?"
June 2, 2022
16.30 - 18.30
Sky Lounge, Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1, 1090 Vienna
The ongoing war in Ukraine is of great concern to all of us within CENTRAL, a strategic cooperation network with leading Central European research universities. As part of the network's annual Governance Board Meeting, we will therefore host a high-profile panel discussion on relations between Central Europe and Russia.
The event will begin with a keynote speech by Ambassador Emil Brix, Head of the Vienna School of International Studies, who has been stationed as a diplomat in Russia and Poland, and is an Ambassador of the CENTRAL network. The title of his keynote is: Is Russia again the tragedy of Central Europe?
The keynote will be followed by a discussion between representatives from CENTRAL universities: Professor Susanne Frank (Humboldt University Berlin), Professor Zsuzsa Hetényi (ELTE Budapest), Katarzyna Jakubowska-Krawczyk (University of Warsaw), Professor Karel Svoboda (Charles University) and Professor Philipp Ther (University of Vienna). The discussion will be moderated by Barbara Good.
Impressions of the Panel Discussion
University of Vienna’s Vice Rector for Research and International Affairs Jean-Robert Tyran opened the event by introducing the CENTRAL network’s purpose of not only offering opportunities for the internationalisation of early-stage researchers, but also as presenting the network’s universities as intellectual powerhouses in its public outreach activities.
Ambassador Emil Brix (Head of the Vienna School of International Studies) answered the question posed in his keynote Is Russia again the tragedy of Central Europe? in the affirmative: apart from the humanitarian consequences for Ukrainians, the Russian War in Ukraine poses the danger of generating a deviding line in Europe again. Russia is creating a situation where Central European countries have to decide whether to side with the east or the west.
Professor Zsuzsa Hetényi (ELTE Budapest), Professor Susanne Frank (Humboldt University Berlin), Professor Karel Svoboda (Charles University Prague), Katarzyna Jakubowska-Krawczyk (University of Warsaw) and Professor Philipp Ther (University of Vienna). The discussion was moderated by Barbara Good (University of Vienna).
Barbara Good (Head of International Office, University of Vienna) moderated the event.
Philipp Ther (University of Vienna, Department of East European History) argued that the Russian War on Ukraine is often portrayed as a conflict between Russia and NATO, while it is actually also a an attack on Europe’s freedom and a threat to the EU. He also pointed out Russia’s attempts to divide Europe by financing populist parties in Europe.
Zsuzsa Hetényi (Eötvös Loránd University Budapest, Institute of Slavonic and Baltic Philology) pointed out the economic roots of political changes. She also stressed that the Russian aggressions against Ukraine have already been going on for eight years.
From the point of view of an economist, Karel Svoboda (Charles University Prague, Institute of International Studies) defined the Russian War in Ukraine as an eye opener as to how toxic the Russian environment ist for international companies. He also warned that Russia will not be content with the territorial gain of the Donbas alone.
Susanne Frank (Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Department of Slavic and Hungarian Studies) pointed out that using the term “tragedy” for the Russian war in Ukraine might veil that Russia is actively perpetrating this war – it is not sent from the gods above. She argued that Putin poses as a preserver of European values and tradition, and at the same time relies on a supposed continuity of today's Russia in relation to the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire alike. She sees it as our task to make clear that this claimed continuity is pure fiction. She stressed that Russia’s war on Ukraine has changed the world order permanently and represents a deep rupture in the development of international relations after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Katarzyna Jakubowska-Krawczyk (University of Warsaw, Department of Ukrainian Studies) critized the glaring omission of Ukrainian culture from the canon of European culture. Most university’s do not even offer Ukrainian studies, they are often a part of Russian studies. She stressed the lack of and need for expertise on Ukraine. She also pointed out Ukraine’s rich cultural heritage and requested not to reduce the conversation about Ukraine to wars and revolution.
Members of the CENTRAL Governance Board Meeting (from left to right: Emil Brix, Andreas Meitzner, Yoan Vilain, Sambor Grucza)
The panel discussion was the kick-off event for the CENTRAL network's annual Governance Board Meeting. (from left to right: Jan Kuklík, Imre Hamar,Jean-Robert Tyran)