Analysts of Russia’s war in Ukraine have often – since its inception in 2014 – highlighted a seeming contradiction. On the one hand, Russia is violating the sovereignty of a neighbouring state in pursuit of its own interests. On the other, Russia simultaneously condemns Western interventions in places such as Syria, Iraq, and Libya, as well as Serbia back in 1999, on the basis that they breach the principle of non-interference in other states.
So are Russian leaders just being inconsistent? Or is there more going on?
Dr Kalina Zhekova, Lecturer in Political Science here in the UCL Department of Political Science, joins us for this week's episode. A specialist in Russian approaches to military intervention and state sovereignty, Kalina’s latest paper looks at elite-level Russian discourse during the 2014 Ukraine crisis.
Mentioned in this episode:
UCL’s Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of all fields of politics, including international relations, political theory, human rights, public policy-making and administration. The Department is recognised for its world-class research and policy impact, ranking among the top departments in the UK on both the 2021 Research Excellence Framework and the latest Guardian rankings.
Alexei Navalny and the Future of Russian Politics
Should the Civil Service Be Neutral?
The Principles of Education Policy
Deciding Northern Ireland’s Future
Does the UK Still Have a Political Constitution?
The Ethics of Violent Protest
Fostering Norms for Dispute Resolution
Biden’s First 100 Days
Ideas of Democracy
Global Climate Justice
The Prerogative Powers of Governments
Business Lobbying in the EU
Global Climate Governance
The Politics of Asylum
Care and Punishment
The Limits of Free Speech on Social Media
Trump's Legacy and the Biden Presidency
Contentious Politics under Covid-19
The State of the European Union
The Principles of Collective Decision-Making
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free