On February 24, 2022, with attentions from all over the world, Russian President, Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine under the name of “special military operations.” A permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and a nuclear power violated its sovereign neighbor, and the outrage destroyed the postwar international order in the 21st century. What does this fact tell us?

At the beginning, it was predicted that the overwhelmingly superior Russian military forces would occupy Kiev in one fell swoop, oust the Zelensky regime, and establish a pro Russian government, but the vigorous fight by the Ukrainian army has frustrated the Russian offensive impulse, and the war is showing signs of protraction.

During this war, invisible and intense battles have been repeated in communication sphere, cyberspace and outer space, and the use of attack drones and precision-guided weapons has become normal in the battlefield. On the other hand, gun battles or battles over positions, which are traditional types of warfare, are taking place on the front lines. How do we possibly understand these battles?

At this conference, general officers from Japan, the U.K., and the U.S. are invited to thoroughly discuss what lessons have been learned, through looking back on the past year, analyzing the war, and as well as what is important to deter conflict in a situation of increasingly intense Great Power Competitions in the future.

Contents of Discussion:

• How do you evaluate and analyze the Russo-Ukrainian war over the past year?
• What lessons have you learned from the Russo-Ukrainian war over the past year?
• What do you believe is most important to deter conflicts in a period of intensifying Great Power Competitions?