5. Ukraine and the Future of European Security

Great Decisions resources

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Documents

uncharter-1-1.pdf

UN Charter – The baseline legal framework for sovereignty, use of force, self-defense

39501.pdf

Helsinki Final Act – A cornerstone of the European security order (inviolability of borders, non-use of force, human rights principles)

s_1994_1399.pdf

Budapest Memorandum – Central to understanding Ukraine’s nuclear disarmament, the concept of “security assurances,” and why credibility/guarantees matter in negotiations today.

ua150212minskagreementen.pdf

Minsk II – Important for evaluating claims about autonomy, ceasefires, and why diplomacy failed

290622-strategic-concept.pdf

NATO’s diagnosis of the threat environment – Relevant to “what comes next” in European security.

strategic_compass_en3_web.pdf

The EU’s defense and security posture – Useful for understanding EU capability-building

IF12040.33.pdf

CRS: “U.S. Security Assistance to Ukraine” – U.S. security assistance mechanisms, scale, and timeline

3rd_Aniv_Report.pdf

Kiel Institute: “Ukraine Support After Three Years of War” – Who gives what

P180174-ca39eccd-ea67-4bd8-b537-ff73a675a0a8.pdf

Ukraine Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment – The best single document for reconstruction scale

Resources

Images

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Balance of Peace and Conflict
u2287141286_Hands_forming_a_protective_circle_around_Ukraine__ea4b6650-dce8-4410-8c85-b179f6697048_0.png
Collective Defense
u2287141286_EU_flag_stars_morphing_into_shield_shapes_surroun_0a9748de-7fc0-4440-946c-83303460b80d_0.png
EU Shield

Videos

Ukraine and European security – Dr. John Nagl and Col. Chase Metcalf

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Group Video: U.S. Army War College

Ukraine and the Future of European Security (WorldOregon). Speaker: Joshua Eastin, Professor, Political Science, Portland State University

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Great Decisions – World Oregon

The Foreign Policy Association is joined by Prof. Timothy Snyder, Richard C. Levin Professor of History at Yale University and author of On Tyranny. The lecture took place at The University Club of New York.

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The Peril of Slowness: American Mistakes during Russia’s War of Aggression in Ukraine

The Foreign Policy Association speaks with General David H. Petraeus regarding his latest work, Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine.

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Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine with Gen. David H. Petraeus

Examines the longstanding interplay between Putin and multiple U.S. administrations, helping viewers grasp how diplomatic and strategic decisions shaped tensions that preceded the 2022 invasion.

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Putin and the Presidents – Frontline

Award-winning on-the-ground coverage of the siege of Mariupol, critical for understanding the war’s human cost and urban combat context.

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20 Days in Mariupol – FRONTLINE

Not a formal history film, but this early 2014 viral video offers insight into Ukrainian civil society sentiments during Euromaidan, helping participants grasp motivations behind Ukraine’s democratic movement

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I Am a Ukrainian

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, attention on NATO has increased throughout the world. As its members prepare for the 75th NATO summit in early July, the focus will intensify. In the U.S., we hear a lot of opinions about NATO, but how do Europeans feel about their security?

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Group video: WorldBoston

Shows how a full Great Decisions session unfolds with both expert framing and participant discussion.

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Group video: World Affairs Council of Maine

Why watch: Explains Europe’s evolving security landscape and NATO’s role in the Ukraine conflict.

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Group video: Wood County Committee on Aging, Inc.

A full Great Decisions session combining expert presentation with audience engagement, offering both policy context and real-world perspectives on the war in Ukraine and its impact on European security.

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Group video: Manitowoc Public Library

Address by President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation on the Military Intervention in Ukraine

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Vladimir Putin’s Speech on Ukraine and US Foreign Policy and NATO – 24 February 2022, ENG Subtitles

Related Organizations

Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs)

One of the most respected international affairs institutes, offering measured, globally respected analysis of European security, diplomacy, and long-term geopolitical consequences.

European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR)

Provides European—not Washington-centric—analysis, helping participants understand internal EU debates on sanctions, enlargement, defense spending, and security guarantees.

International Crisis Group

Focuses on conflict dynamics, diplomacy, and off-ramps, with sober assessments of escalation risks and negotiation constraints.

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

Strong on strategic stability, deterrence, escalation management, and the intersection of military, political, and nuclear risk.

German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP)

Adds a German and Central European lens, critical for understanding NATO burden-sharing, EU security policy, and energy considerations.

Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPA)

Strong coverage of Eastern European security perspectives, Baltic and Polish viewpoints, and hybrid threats—often underrepresented in broader debates.

Wilson Center

Bridges academic research and policymaking, with historical depth and region-specific expertise, especially valuable for facilitators.

Lowy Institute

Offers a non-US, non-European vantage point, helping participants situate Ukraine within the broader global order and great-power competition.

Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict

Provides legal and ethical framing for discussions of war crimes, proportionality, civilian protection, and accountability—important for rule-of-law conversations.

Recommended Readings

The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine (Amazon)

A comprehensive, highly readable history of Ukraine from its medieval origins to the present. Perfect for understanding the deep historical roots of the conflict and Ukraine’s enduring struggle for sovereignty. Read more

Ukraine Crisis: What It Means for the West - Amazon

Explains the origins of the 2014 crisis and how Russia’s actions altered European security. Provides clear context for the 2022 invasion and the broader geopolitical stakes. Read more

The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America (Amazon)

A highly accessible analysis of Russian political culture and its implications for Western democracies. Great for understanding motivations behind foreign policy decisions in the region. Read more

Red Famine: Stalin's War on Ukraine

Award-winning history of the Holodomor and Soviet policies toward Ukraine. Helps participants grasp the emotional and historical dimensions that shape Ukrainian national identity. Read more

NATO’s Gamble: Combining Diplomacy and Airpower in the Kosovo Crisis (Amazon)

Though focused on 1999, this book offers a case study in alliance decision-making, crisis management, and limited intervention, useful for comparing NATO debates then and now. Read more

The New Cold War: Putin's Russia and the Threat to the West (Amazon)

Explores Russia’s post-Cold War strategy and its confrontation with Western norms and institutions. Provides strategic framing that bridges historical tension and current events. Read more

The Hell of Good Intentions: America's Foreign Policy Elite and the Decline of U.S. Primacy (Amazon)

Provides critical context on U.S. global strategy debates, including alliance commitments and how America engages crises like Ukraine—not polemical, but highly accessible. Read more

From Cold War To Hot Peace: An American Ambassador in Putin’s Russia (Amazon)

Written by a former U.S. ambassador to Russia, this book gives eyewitness insight into U.S.–Russia relations, helping participants understand diplomatic nuances that shape the current security landscape. Read more

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