Crimea and Post-Soviet Borders

Professor: Rouben Azizian

In 2014, Moscow-backed forces seized control of Ukraine’s Crimea region, which has a Russian-speaking majority. The Crimean population then voted to join Russia in a referendum deemed illegal by Ukraine and the West.

The Crimea takeover by Russia raises questions, both practical and academic, regarding the inviolability of borders in the post-Soviet space and wider Europe, as well as President Putin’s ultimate geopolitical goals and ambitions. The presentation will discuss the evolution of the Crimean crisis and its implications for international security and geopolitics.