Vienna Open Discussion: War in Ukraine
March 04, 2022
On March 2, the International Relations Department of Webster Vienna Private University organized an open discussion on the war in Ukraine. The discussion was led by three of our faculty members who are experts in the fields of IR and diplomacy, Sino-Russian relations, and international law.
The discussion was open to all students, alumni, faculty, and staff and was streamed live on Zoom. Over 80 participants joined the discussion either online or in person.
Dr. Franco Algieri, Dr. Jozef Batora, and Dr. Marco Bocchese
Franco Algieri, head of the International Relations Department at WVPU, moderated the discussion and shared a broader global perspective by providing a brief analysis of Sino-Russian relations, the vector of their development, and possible swings. Algieri is a member of TAG - an informal network of leading researchers focused on transatlantic relations and European security and defense.
International Relations Professor Josef Batora is an expert on international institutions and their change, diplomacy, security, and EU external relations and governance. He has contributed to the discussion by analyzing the war from a historical and diplomatic perspective.
Assistant Professor Marco Bocchese is an expert in international law and international relations. He addressed the legal aspects of the armed conflict and gave a brief overview of Russia's attempts to revise international legal structures.
After the panelists made their statements on the implications of the conflict, the floor was opened for insightful questions that made the discussion more analytical and compelling. The audience displayed genuine concern, empathy, and desire to understand the issues.
In difficult times like these, WVPU stands together to support its members, both faculty and students, to the best of our ability. We believe that open discussions are one of the ways we can not only inform, but also help and further unite our community. The recording of the discussion may be viewed on YouTube.