On February 26, AFPC joined several Ukrainian-American organizations in co-sponsoring a Washington, DC conference exploring Russia’s agenda in Ukraine, the Baltic countries and other neighboring states. Speakers included AFPC President Herman Pirchner, Jr., AFPC Senior Fellow for Russia Stephen Blank, several senior Ukrainian officials, Sen. Robert Portman (R-OH), and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Carpenter.
The conference, as well as private discussions with its participants, left AFPC experts with the understanding that Ukraine’s improved defenses have significantly raised the cost of further Russian aggression in Eastern Ukraine, and that this is the reason why there has been little change in the ceasefire line. However, the Russian- equipped, -financed, and -commanded forces in Ukraine continue to violate the ceasefire and Ukraine casualties continue to mount (albeit in the hundreds as opposed to thousands).
No end is in sight to the conflict, and it remains possible that other countries -- especially the Baltic States and Belarus -- may become the subject of further Russian aggression.
