Two club members attended a panel discussion at St Antony’s College in Oxford on the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Organised by members of the Oxford University Ukrainian Society and the Oxford-Kharkiv Association, a few local Rotarians were able to attend and the drinks reception was supported by Rotary.
Chaired by Professor Timothy Garton Ash, the panel included experts from different fields: Andrew Wilson, Professor of Ukrainian Studies at UCL; James Nixey, Director of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House; Viktoriia Vdovychenko from Cambridge University; Philippa Webb, Professor of Public International Law at King’s College London; and Dr Ievgeniia Kopytsia, environmental lawyer and Associate Professor at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University in Ukraine and visiting researcher in Oxford University Law Faculty.
Panel member Ievgeniia, also a friend of our Rotary club and member of the new Global New Generation Rotary e-club, spoke about the reconstruction and specifically about the green reconstruction of Ukraine. Other panel members spoke about the conflict, about the potential use of Russia’s frozen assets to support Ukraine’s military costs and about the plans for after the conflict.
Mike noted “there were lots of educated and intelligent members in the audience who asked searching questions”. There was also lots of chat over drinks after the event, and this included interest in Rotary’s support of Ukraine.
As Ievgeniia said in her presentation, we all have a duty to become experts on Ukraine and to understand what is happening. Club member Karen agrees:
“Having become great friends with Ievgeniia over the past year, I am honoured to be able to say that I am connected to many Rotarians who have offered such amazing support to Ukraine and to Rotarians in Ukraine. I look forward to visiting Ukraine when peace returns and I aim to learn more about the country each day.”
