The second panel discussion within the framework of the Second Black Sea Security Conference
The second panel discussion “World in Global Changes: Vision on Moving Forward Global and BAS Security from Different Perspectives” was performed by Peter Van Praagh, President, Halifax International Security Forum; Viktorija Starych-Samuolienė, Co-founder and Director of Strategy, Council on Geostrategy, Co-organiser, The First Sea Lords’ Sea Power Conference; Prof. Christine Dugoin-Clément, Researcher Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Co-organiser, Paris Defence and Strategy Forum; Yordan Bozhilov, Founder and President, Sofia Security Forum, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Republic of Bulgaria (2022). The discussion was moderated by Alina Frolova, Security Track Coordinator of the Crimea Platform Expert Network, Deputy Chairperson of the Centre for Defence Strategies, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine (2019-2020).
“In 2022, Europe and the United States are united by one thing: Ukraine’s willingness to fight,” stated Peter Van Praagh, President of Halifax International Security Forum.
“There is a thesis in public opinion that Russia’s decision to conduct a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has united its allies, Europe and the United States. But this is not true. The allies were divided on February 24 and remained so. They were united only by Ukraine’s willingness to fight,” he said.
Peter Van Praagh added that everyone who is now enjoying peace and the rule of law should thank Ukraine.
According to him, Ukraine has provided its allies with a certain optimism that motivated them to provide weapons and take the path of isolating the aggressor. Instead, Russia is actively engaged in convincing the world that Ukraine is not capable of winning.
Peter Van Praagh stressed that it’s crucial for everyone to recognize the current situation as a global war. Ukraine is on the western front, Israel on the southern front, and the conflict in Taiwan remains frozen. Despite internal political processes, allies must maintain their unity, according to his opinion.
Viktorija Starych-Samuolienė, Co-founder and Director of Strategy, Council on Geostrategy, Co-organiser, The First Sea Lords’ Sea Power Conference noted: “Russia has become a collective enemy in the Black Sea area. We also see the efforts of China on the other side of the globe to intensify the development of its maritime forces. Some people still neglect this fact, but we see that we have a real geopolitical confrontation on our planet, a real arms race.”
She emphasized that on February 24, 2022, Russia just undermined the foundations of global security.
“And since then, we have been watching this global security system, this entire architecture, crumble as it comes under more and more pressure. And we need to communicate this idea to the public, that Russia is an anti-systemic challenge for everyone, and China is the same challenge for the entire global security system,” added Viktorija Starych-Samuolienė.
The consequences of the conflict in Ukraine are already being felt in the Middle East. It is very painful for the population of this region. However, the fact that the Russian-Ukrainian war has stopped being regional can speed up the process of assisting Ukraine. This research was shared during the conference by Prof. Christine Dugoin-Clément, Researcher Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Co-organiser, Paris Defence and Strategy Forum: “All events, including those in the Middle East, can speed up the provision of assistance to Ukraine because it is not just a matter of war, it is a matter of global security.”
Christine Dugoin-Clément suggests that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is similar to the one in Kashmir. Russia is destabilizing the context by interfering in democratic processes, and this is putting democracy at risk.
During a conference, Yordan Bozhilov, Founder and President of Sofia Security Forum, and former Deputy Minister of Defense of the Republic of Bulgaria (2022), emphasized that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is not just a war against Ukraine alone. Bozhilov believes that Russia is attempting to destroy the entire security architecture in Europe and challenge the world order that ensures safety and security both in Europe and around the world. This event has led most European countries to realize the gravity of the situation and the importance of taking action to protect their security.
“The Europeans have finally seen that Russia is not only ready but has started to promote its interests by force. The fact that we have finally recognized that we have a very aggressive neighbor next door who has already started knocking on Ukraine. Finally, everyone felt it, and the perception of Russia began to change. NATO has finally started talking about increasing its presence in countries like Bulgaria and Romania. We already have NATO troops on our soil, and we increase our defense capabilities. The EU is trying to reconsider the safety and security of Eastern European countries, and the United States is working on a comprehensive Black Sea strategy that will include military, political, and economic components,” he emphasized.
At the same time, Yordan Bozhilov voiced his vision of the necessary further actions: “What should we do about it? My vision is that as NATO we must make more joint efforts. We need to get closer to Russia and demonstrate that we have a deterrent. We have to give Ukraine as much as possible: not just military support, but support of all kinds.”
