February 24, 2023 will mark one year since Russia invaded Ukraine. Four of our Syracuse University faculty experts shared their thoughts about the upcoming anniversary. Please see their names, titles, and quotes below. If you are interested in interviewing any of them, please reach out to Vanessa Marquette, Media Relations Specialist, at vrmarque@syr.edu.
Sean McFate
Sean McFate is a professor at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School and Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and author of The New Rules of War: How America Can Win — Against Russia, China, and Other Threats. He writes: “Mercenaries are back, and no longer in the shadows but in the open like the Middle Ages and Antiquity. When Wagner Group seized Soledar and publicly gloated, the Russian military leadership went berserk inside the Kremlin. The feud between private and public warrior is as old as mercenaries, the second oldest profession. In the Middle Ages, mercenaries feuded with knights, such as during the siege of Béziers in 1209, when mercenaries burned down the city just to spite the knights on their side. The owner of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has emerged from being a “useful idiot” before the war into sitting at the right hand of Putin. And it’s not just in Russia. Mercenaries are on the rise everywhere. When you privatize war, it changes war in profound ways that they don’t teach in War Colleges. Machiavelli knew, and condemned mercenaries. Perhaps Putin will eventually as well.”
Note: Professor McFate is located in Washington, D.C. and is available for in-person interviews. Additionally, listen to the latest ‘Cuse Conversations podcast episode with Sean McFate to learn more.
Brian Taylor
Brian Taylor is a professor of political science at Syracuse University and author of the highly acclaimed book The Code of Putinism. He writes: “The key outcome from the first year of the war is that Ukraine is still standing and is determined to fight on to defend its territory and independence. In 2022 Ukrainians refuted Vladimir Putin’s mistaken notion that Ukrainians and Russians are “one nation” and that the Ukrainian state is an artificial construct. In Russia, the economic, military, and human costs of Putin’s war will put additional pressure on the stability of the regime in 2023. Currently, however, Putin retains strong control over the organs of repression, the economy, and the media, which makes it very hard for those who oppose the war to challenge his rule. Putin plans to fight on.”
Note: Professor Taylor is located in Syracuse, NY, but is available for virtual interviews.
Robert Murrett
Retired Vice Admiral Robert Murrett is a professor of practice at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School and deputy director of the Institute for Security Policy and Law. He writes: “The first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine provides a valuable opportunity to take stock of the lessons from the past year, and their application to the future of the conflict. Among them: the strength and resilience of the Ukrainians, the remarkable and increasing diplomatic, financial and military support from NATO and other allies, and the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the conflict has spurred. Additionally, Russia’s strategic mistake and their subsequent diplomatic and economic isolation on the global stage are all factors that will persist in the year ahead. As military operations increase in intensity this coming spring, it is likely that support for Ukraine will also ramp up, reflecting the determination of Kyiv and the west to stop the Kremlin and any like-minded autocrats from attempting another such “fundamental challenge to the values and norms that have brought security and prosperity” to the global community.”
Note: Retired Vice Adm. Murrett is located in Syracuse, NY, but is available for virtual interviews.
Daniel McDowell
Daniel McDowell, associate professor of political science at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School and co-director of the Comparative Politics/International Relations Speaker Series, recently published the book Bucking the Buck: US Financial Sanctions and the International Backlash against the Dollar. In this book, McDowell talks about how sanctions undermine the dollar’s status in the wake of Russia sanctions, and discusses the implications of future effectiveness given the war in Ukraine. McDowell’s focus areas are in international political economy, international finance, international monetary system, and IMF.
Note: Professor McDowell is located in Syracuse, NY, but is available for virtual interviews.
