Roundtable Discussion – Understanding the Ukrainian Maidan: Between Russia & the EU

On February 14, faculty members at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign participated in a roundtable discussion, focusing on the current events happening in the Ukraine. On November 2013, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich refused to sign the European Union Assocation Agreement, after years of negotiation. As a result, chaos and protests flared up on the capital city Kiev’s main square, which the locals call Maidan. Since the Orange Revolution of 2004, the Maidan has symbolized freedom. The panelists discussed the country’s current events, the implications of the ongoing political protests, and the enduring symbol of the Maidan.

The panelists included Carol Leff (Political Science), Kostas Kourtikakis (Political Science), and Oleksandra Wallo (Slavic). The roundtable was sponsored by the European Union Center; the Russian, East European and Eurasian Center; and Pi Sigma Alpha.

A video of the roundtable discussion can be viewed below or by clicking here:

Posted in: Ukraine,Video