Reuniting Ukraine through International Cooperation: Options in Donbas

Almost two years after Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called for United Nations peacekeepers in Eastern Ukraine, Vladimir Putin of Russia floated the idea of a light UN force with a limited mandate to protect international monitors already in the area. The proposal was seen as a non-starter by Kyiv and an attempt to cement and legitimize Moscow’s de-facto control in Ukraine’s Donbas region by Western partners. American and European officials countered with far more ambitious ideas for a peacekeeping force with a broader mandate, but talks with Russia have stalled.

On March 2, Hudson Institute hosted a panel to discuss a new paper by Richard Gowan, Can the United Nations Unite Ukraine? The paper outlines the various ways by which an eventual peacekeeping mission in Ukraine might come about and discusses options that might appeal to all parties in the conflict. Panelists included U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Ambassador Kurt Volker, Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations Richard Gowan, and Senior Associate at Baker McKenzie Lyndon Allin. The panel was moderated by Hudson Research Fellow Hannah Thoburn.

To view Mr. Gowan's slides, click here.