Beyond the Battlefield: The Effects of the Russia-Ukraine War on International Security
Friday, June 6 at 12:00 am to Saturday, June 7, 2025 at 12:00 am
- In-person event
- Kakha Bendukidze Campus , T’bilisi , 0159
Description
This international conference, co-hosted by Carleton University (Ottawa, Canada) and Tbilisi Free University (Tbilisi, Georgia) will consider the global implications of the war in Ukraine. It will combine senior and junior scholars, practitioners and students to discuss, among other topics: current issues in the Caspian and Black Seas; European energy security and politics; the evolving security environment in the South Caucasus and the Middle East; and new challenges in the Arctic. The event is open to the public.
Conference Agenda
(All Panels will be held in the Conference Hall, Room 200)
June 6
14:00-15:30: Opening Remarks and Address
Dr. Tinatin Karosanidze – Professor and Dean, School of International Relations, Tbilisi Free University
Neil Hauer – Journalist and Eastern Europe Regional Analyst)
Dr. Jeff Sahadeo – Professor, European, Russian and Eurasian Studies, Carleton University)
15:30-16:00: Coffee BREAK
16:00-18:00: The Black Sea and Caspian Sea Regions and Their Impact on European Security Architecture
Dr. Alexander Latsabidze – Moderator, Associate Professor, Tbilisi Free University
Dr. Zurab Batiashvili – Research Fellow at the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies
Mr. Gigi Gigiadze – Senior Fellow at the Economic Policy Research Centre
Mr. George Melashvili – Founder and President of the Europe-Georgia Institute
June 7
10:00-11:15: Cooperation and Conflict in Europe and the Arctic
Anna Robinson, Carleton University – “Students as political agents: Analyzing the ongoing anti-corruption protests in Serbia”
Victoria Salomon, Carleton University – “The Aegean Dispute: Greece’s Militarization of the Dodecanese Archipelago”
Sophie LeBoeuf, Carleton University- “Evolving Cooperation in the Arctic: Implications with Russia, Climate Change, and Arctic Indigenous Communities”
McKayla Wolfer, Carleton University – “Canada’s Strategic Geography: A Double-Edge Sword in Arctic Policy”
11:15-11:30: Coffee Break
11:30-12:30: Evolving Energy and Regional Politics
Nikoloz Giligashvili, Tsitsino Lobjanidze, Tbilisi Free University – “Recent developments in the Middle East and their Impact on Regional Security”
Saba Tavelishvili, Tbilisi Free University – “From Bypass to Backbone: Türkiye’s Rising Role in EU Energy Security after the Russia-Ukraine War”
Mia Andrew, Carleton University – “EU Energy Security in Wartime.”
12:30-13:30: The South Caucasus and Eurasia
Calum McPhee, Carleton University – “Georgian Cybersecurity Challenges in Strategic Cooperation with China”
Gabriella Pickton, Carleton University- “Autonomy or Alignment? Decoding Georgia’s Strategic Orientation”
Tamar Kekenadze, Tbilisi Free University – “Ripple Effects of the Ukraine War: Security Vulnerabilities and Strategic Responses Across Eurasia”
13:30-14:45: Lunch
14:45-16:00: The Black Sea
Kristine Zubtsova, Tbilisi Free University – “NATO’s Strategic Interests and Challenges in the Black Sea Region”
Guram Jurkhadze, Tbilisi Free University – “Securing the Black Sea Region: Key Policy Recommendations for NATO”
Mariam Papaskiri, Tbilisi Free University – Hybrid Warfare in the Black Sea Region”
Dachi Tavartkiladze, Tbilisi Free University – “Conflicts in the Black Sea Region”
16:15-18:15: STUDENT WORKSHOP (Library Hall)
Students will break into small groups to work with scholars and practitioner on specific tasks, e.g.: (drafting a policy memo, designing a professional/academic presentation, crafting a reading list for an academic class, constructing a professional c.v., preparing for job interviews, and writing as a journalist).
Guidelines will be provided, and each team will have approximately one hour to complete the task at hand.
The workshop will culminate in a brief presentation of each group’s work, offering an opportunity to share insights and foster cross-cultural dialogue on the pressing security issues of our time (5-7 minutes).