In Focus: Russia’s War in Ukraine Understanding the War’s New Phase

The Tennessee World Affairs Council and the American Council on Germany launched the “In Focus: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine” series in January with a conversation with Ambassador John Kornblum as storm clouds gathered. The series has followed the twists and turns of the unprovoked war over the last nine months.

Now, Ukrainian forces have successfully pushed back Russian forces in the east while Russia continues to brutalize the civilian population with missile and drone strikes aimed at crippling infrastructure and energy supplies, turning out lights and turning off the heat, and weaponizing winter. Questions remain about the resilience of the West’s commitment to Ukraine — military, humanitarian, and other financial aid — and the endgame — what it will take to end the war.

The American Council on Germany and the Tennessee World Affairs Council are continuing their series of virtual events titled In Focus: Russia’s War in Ukraine. Join us for a discussion about the evolving crisis with Ambassador John Kornblum, former U.S. Ambassador to Germany.

Ambassador John C. Kornblum has a long record of service in the United States and Europe both as a diplomat and as a businessman. He is recognized as an eminent expert on U.S.-European political and economic relations, in particular in Central and Eastern Europe. He served as the U.S. Ambassador to Germany from 1997 to 2001. Before that, he occupied a number of high-level diplomatic posts, including U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European affairs, Special Envoy for the Dayton Peace Process, U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Process), Deputy U.S. Ambassador to NATO, and U.S. minister and deputy commandant of forces in divided Berlin.