After the War:

What a Ukraine Peace Agreement Could Mean for Central Asia

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. (EST)

Virtual Event

Click Here to Join Zoom Session

As discussions around a potential peace agreement in Ukraine continue, its consequences for Central Asia remain a critical issue. This event will examine how an end to the war could reshape the region’s economic landscape, from the potential lifting of sanctions and their impact on Central Asian economies to new opportunities in Ukraine’s reconstruction for migrant workers. The discussion will also address shifts in energy and trade corridors, as well as the security and strategic implications of a post-war order. With three years of war having reshaped military cooperation between the U.S. and Central Asia, we will explore whether the region’s governments have diversified their security partnerships or remain constrained by their historical ties to Moscow.

Beyond geopolitics, the war in Ukraine has significantly shaped how Central Asians view Russia, leading to a growing reassessment of the region’s historical and contemporary ties to Moscow. The conflict has amplified debates around decolonization, with increasing scrutiny of Russia’s political, cultural, and linguistic influence in Central Asia. Many in the region are questioning long-standing narratives about Russian-Central Asian relations, particularly in light of Russia’s rhetoric on its former Soviet sphere. This event will explore how these shifting perceptions are influencing domestic policies, identity debates, and regional alignments.

Speakers

Clark Adams has had a 37-year US government career. He served as the Director for Central Asian Affairs in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (OUSDP) from January 2007 until his retirement in February 2024. He and his team were responsible for the management of U.S. defense relations with the five Central Asian counries. In spring 2008, he was temporarily detailed to the National Security Council to serve as the Director for Central Asian Affairs where he was responsible for all matters related to U.S. relations with the five Central Asian states. He has an MS in National Security Strategy from the National War College, an MA in International Relations from The Pennsylvania State University and a BA in Economics and Political Science, also from The Pennsylvania State University.

Erica Marat is a Professor at the College of International Security Affairs (CISA) of the National Defense University (NDU). She has authored several books, including most recently Transformative Violence: When Routine Cruelty Sparks Historic Mobilization (Oxford University Press 2024). Her articles have appeared in Foreign Affairs, The Washington Post, Foreign Policy, Just Security, and on Open Democracy.  She is currently working on a project on decolonial developments and processes in Central and North Asia and the South Caucasus. She is also engaged in a research project on China’s and Russia’s provision of public services for illiberal governments in 15 countries across five continents. These projects are funded by the Minerva Research Initiative's Defense Education and Civilian University Research (DECUR) grants.

Dr. Eric Rudenshiold is a former National Security Council Director for Central Asia under the Trump and Biden Administrations, a Senior Fellow at the Caspian Policy Center, and an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University's School for Advanced International Studies. He has extensive regional expertise on the Caucasus and Central Asia, Eurasia/Europe, and with multilateral organizations. He also is an expert on a range of foreign policy issues including democracy and human rights, international affairs and development, and counter- terrorism. 

Moderator

Sebastien Peyrouse is Director of the Central Asia Program and Research Professor, IERES, The George Washington University. His main areas of expertise are political systems in Central Asia, economic and social issues, Islam and religious minorities, and Central Asia’s geopolitical positioning toward China, India, and South Asia.

This event is on the record and open to the media.

The Central Asia Program

Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES)

Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University

1957 E Street, NW | Suite 412 | Washington, DC | 20052

(202) 994-9509 | infocap@gwu.edu | centralasiaprogram.org

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