NORTHFIELD, Vt. — Norwich University’s John and Mary Frances Patton Peace and War Center presents “Deciphering the Russian Riddle: National Interests and Geopolitical Competitions,” the 2022 Peace and War Summit, running March 21 to March 22 in person and remotely.
The Peace and War Summit at Norwich University, America’s oldest private military college and birthplace of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), examines significant international issues with an eye toward recommending viable solutions.
Experts will scrutinize challenges deriving from Russia, ranging from its territorial intrusion into Ukraine and Georgia, to intervention into Syria, to growing military partnership with China, to its cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns.

Deputy Chief of Mission Giorgi Tsikolia, Georgian Embassy to the United States, and Brig. Gen. John W. Weidner, U.S. Strategic Command will give keynote presentations from 9 to 9:50 a.m. on March 21 in Mack Hall Auditorium. Four workshops follow that day. At 9:25 a.m. March 22, join the panel discussion “Russia’s Domestic Politics and Foreign Policy.” At 10:50 a.m., experts will discuss “U.S. Strategy Toward Russia.”
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged but not required.
Full schedule and participants:
Monday, March 21, 2022
9 – 9:50 a.m. | Mack Hall Auditorium
KEYNOTE ADDRESSES

Giorgi Tsikolia: Deputy chief of mission, Georgian Embassy to the U.S.
John W. Weidner: Brigadier general, U.S. Strategic Command
11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | Todd Multipurpose Room, Kreitzberg Library
WORKSHOP SESSION I
Moderator: Travis Morris
Presenters:
Thomas Graham: Russia’s grand strategy toward the West
Jessica Pisano: Rethinking res publica: How can shared histories help us see the U.S.-Russia relationship differently?
Peter Rutland: Interests and identity in the shaping of Russian foreign policy
Discussant: Michael Andrew
1 – 2:15 p.m. | Todd Multipurpose Room, Kreitzberg Library
WORKSHOP SESSION II
Moderator: Daniel Morris
Presenters:
Nicholas Gvosdev: Drawing the right conclusions from the Russian intervention in Syria
Angela Kachuyevski: Borderland no more? shifting security dynamics in Ukraine
Lasha Tchantouridzé: The first shot in a long conflict: the 2008 Russo-Georgian War
Discussant: Lisa L. Chalidze
2:45 – 4 p.m. | Todd Multipurpose Room, Kreitzberg Library
WORKSHOP SESSION III
Moderator: Huw Read
Presenters:
Lyle Goldstein and Vitaly Kozyrev: Russo-Chinese strategic partnership of a new type: the security dimension
Mary Manjikan: Russian cyberwarfare, social media and disinformation
Eszter Szenes and Mark Perry: Weaponizing the Syrian Civil War: Russia’s Twitter War on Terror
Discussant: Mark Parker
4:15 – 5:30 p.m. | Todd Multipurpose Room, Kreitzberg Library
WORKSHOP SESSION IV
Moderator: Steven Sodergren
Presenters: (Student Presenters TBA)
Discussant: Miri Kim and Michael Thunberg
Tuesday, March 22, 2022
9:25 – 10:40 a.m. | Mack Hall Auditorium
PANEL DISCUSSION I: “Russia’s Domestic Politics and Foreign Policy”
Chair: Eszter Szenes
Panelists: Thomas Graham, Angela Kachuyevski, Vitaly Kozyrev, Peter Rutland
10:50 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. | Mack Hall Auditorium
PANEL DISCUSSION II: “U.S. Strategy Toward Russia”
Chair: Rowly Brucken
Panelists: Lyle Goldstein, Nicholas Gvosdev, Mary Manjikan, Jessica Pisano, Lasha Tchantouridzé
The inaugural summit, a two-day event in September 2018, addressed North Korea’s nuclear and missile challenges.
The 2021 summit examined the escalation of the U.S.-China rivalry, with special focus on challenges derived from military/security, economic and technological angles.
The culmination of the 2022 summit is the publication of the fourth edition of the Journal of Peace and War Studies.
Go here for the full schedule.
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About Norwich University
Norwich University is a diversified academic institution that educates traditional-age students and adults in a Corps of Cadets and as civilians. Norwich offers a broad selection of traditional and distance-learning programs culminating in baccalaureate and graduate degrees. Norwich University was founded in 1819 by U.S. Army Capt. Captain Alden Partridge and is the nation’s oldest private military college. Norwich is one of our nation's six Senior Military Colleges and the birthplace of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). www.norwich.edu
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