Russia's influence: democratic awakening or authoritarian threat?

Today is May 19, 2025

Date: May 19, 2025 – Source 1 ():
– Authoritarian developments in Russia are attracting international attention.
– The war of aggression against Ukraine calls into question the European peace order.
– The decade after the collapse of the Soviet Union was a time of democratic awakening.
– Analysis of developments in Russia from 1989 to 1999 by leading voices from various fields.
– Conference “An Attempt at Democracy: Russia 1989–1999” will take place from June 10th to 12th, 2025 at the Ruhr University Bochum.
– Conference topics: economy, politics, society, culture and media.
– Media and public are invited to participate.
– The meeting will be held in Russian and English, with interpreter services.
– Participation only possible after online registration.

Source 2 ():
– Adrian Karatnycky, Ukraine expert and former member of the Atlantic Council, describes a split in Ukraine between the glorification of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union and the view of viewing these times as a tragedy.
– The divisions in the population became clear during the Orange Revolution in 2004, when thousands demonstrated for stronger ties to Europe.
– Serhii Plokhii, professor of history at Harvard University, points to an ecological division: fertile topsoil in the south and east (steppe) and forested regions in the north and west.
– The boundaries of the various landforms correspond to the political maps of the presidential elections in 2004 and 2010.
– In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea, a peninsula in southern Ukraine.
– Unrest in Donbass, eastern Ukraine, led to the founding of the “People’s Republics” of Luhansk and Donetsk.
– Armed separatists and popular militias in these regions are supported by Russian troops in the fight against Ukraine.
– The conflict has developed into a war.

Source 3 ():
– Event: Political impetus 02/2014
– Topic: “Is Europe facing a new war? European foreign and security policy in the Ukraine crisis”
– Date: Tuesday, May 6, 2014
– Time: 7 p.m
– Location: Martin Luther University, lecture hall XV in the Melanchthonianum, Universitätsplatz
– Moderation: Arne Lietz, SPD candidate for the European Parliament in Saxony-Anhalt
– Discussion topics:
– Shaping the EU’s relations with the new government in Kyiv and Russia
– Voting process of the 27 EU member states and EU institutions
– Deepening the Eastern Partnership through the Association Agreement with Ukraine
– Political and economic concerns about sanctions against Russia
– Test run for the EU diplomatic service under Catherine Ashton
– Influence of the USA and NATO on the course of the EU
– Role of the upcoming European elections
– Discussing experts:
– Dr. Rolf Mützenich, deputy chairman of the SPD parliamentary group for foreign policy, defense and human rights
– Prof. Dr. Johannes Varwick, Professor of International Relations and European Politics at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
– Note: Respectful behavior in the discussion is expected; Disturbances can lead to exclusion from the debate.