Join Us on June 12 – Russia’s Future: A Challenge for U.S. Policy

Age: 13 hours

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 turned Moscow’s longtime campaign against Kyiv into a global war. The Kremlin’s attempted conquest of Ukraine has been backed by Chinese industrial might, North Korean military supplies and troops, and Iranian drones and missiles. Moscow has intensified its campaigns of sabotage and subversion against Europe in order to undermine international support for Ukraine. The intensifying war effort, however, has only succeeded in further degrading the failing Russian state. The Kremlin’s imperial ambitions in Ukraine come at the cost of potential mutinies, fracture, and dissolution at home. Understanding the consequences of Russia’s deteriorating internal conditions will be the main topic of the upcoming conference, which will involve experts in foreign affairs, defense, and geopolitics, along with representatives of Russia’s captive nations long-recognized by the United States. Russia is one of the globe’s last colonial empires, denying captive nations the right to self-determination and independence. Whether it remains an aggressive imperial power committed to threatening its neighbors or otherwise devolves into fracturing states, U.S. and allied policymakers cannot afford to ignore Russia’s future.

The conference “Russia’s Future: A Challenge for U.S. Policy” is jointly organized by The Jamestown Foundation, Delphi Global Research Center, and the Free Nations of Post-Russia Forum. The event will be hybrid, with participants encouraged to attend in-person (in-person registration here). The proceedings will also be broadcast over Zoom (Zoom registration here) and livestreamed on The Jamestown Foundation’s YouTube channel (livestream will be here). We will convene on Thursday, June 12, 2025, starting at 9:00 am, at Texas A&M University’s Bush School of Government & Public Service campus at 1620 L St. NW in Washington, D.C. 20036. Refreshments and lunch will be provided.

Agenda: 

8:30 – 9:00 am // Registration & Breakfast

9:00 – 9:20 am // Opening Remarks

  • Anna Fotyga, Former Foreign Minister of Poland
  • Peter Mattis, The Jamestown Foundation (online)

9:20 – 10:35 am // Panel One: What Are Russia’s Scenarios?

Moderator: Margarita Assenova, The Jamestown Foundation

  • Janusz Bugajski, The Jamestown Foundation
  • Paul Goble, The Jamestown Foundation (online)
  • Robert Hamilton, Delphi Global Research Center
  • Ilya Ponomarev, Congress of People’s Deputies of the Russian Republic

10:35 – 11:35 am // Panel Two: Voices from Post-Russia – Part One

Moderator: Oleg Magaletsky, Free Nations of Post-Russia Forum

  • Adel Bashqawi, Circassian Writer and Activist
  • Radjana Dugar-DePonte, Committee for Buryat Independence, Free Nations League
  • Pavel Ivlev, Ingeri Maja
  • Aset Sabdulaeva, Government of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria

11:35 – 11:45 am // Coffee Break

11:45 am – 12:45 pm // Panel Three: Voices from Post-Russia – Part Two

Moderator: Maia Otarashvili, Delphi Global Research Center

  • Marina Khankhalaeva, Founder and Leader of the Tusgaar Buryad-Mongolia Movement
  • Aygul Lyon, Committee of the Bashkort National Movement Abroad
  • Kamil Sukaev, Government of Independent Tatarstan in Exile
  • Iyad Youghar, Chairman, North Caucasus Nations Committee

12:45 – 1:30 pm // Lunch

1:30 – 2:40 pm // Roundtable: Ukraine on the Front Line

Moderator: Robert Hamilton, Delphi Global Research Center

  • Luke Coffey, Hudson Institute
  • Oleh Dunda, Member of the Ukrainian Rada
  • Amb. Kurt Volker, Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO
  • Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Member of the Ukrainian Rada

2:40 – 3:50 pm // Panel Four: What Is America’s Russia Policy?

Moderator: Janusz Bugajski, The Jamestown Foundation

  • Amb. Michael Carpenter, Former U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE
  • Amb. Daniel Fried, Former U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Atlantic Council
  • S. Fred Starr, Central Asia Caucasus Institute

3:50 – 5:00 pm // Panel Five: Europe Faces an Assertive Russia

Moderator: Taras Byk, Free Nations of Post-Russia Forum

  • Rainhard Kloucek, President of Pan-Europa Austria
  • Juraj Mesic, Independent Analyst, Slovakia
  • Alexandru Nazare, Former Minister of Finance of Romania

5:00 – 5:15 pm // Closing Remarks