Between December 9 – 20, 2021, New Strategy Center is organizing 5 online debates to mark an internationally impactful moment: 30 years since the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).
On the evening of December 25, 1991, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as President of the USSR, 69 years after its establishment, the Soviet Union ceased to exist. On this occasion, the fierce competition between the USA and the USSR – between capitalism and communism – came to an end, thus also marking the end of the Cold War, as the Soviet Union left the world stage.
Mikhail Gorbachev presenting his resignation, December 25, 1991. (Credit: Sovfoto/UIG/Getty Images)
This historic event changed the destiny of the European states that had once belonged to the communist camp. Today, these countries are becoming part of NATO and the EU. The former Soviet republics had a different destiny, from states that now belong to the Euro-Atlantic area – such as the Baltic states – to states that are still struggling to get out of Moscow’s sphere of influence, sometimes at the cost of open conflict – as is the case of Georgia and Ukraine – to states that are part of the Russian Federation’s politico-military alliance system – such as Armenia, Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan. The impact of the disintegration of the USSR continues to be felt today by the countries of the region.
The fall of the Berlin Wall, Nov. 9, 1989. Image: Factinate
The NSC debates will address the historic moment of the dissolution of the USSR and the immediate and long-term effects, assessments and perceptions of that moment in the United States, in Western Europe, in the states of the former Warsaw Pact, as well as in Russia. The last discussion will be dedicated to an analysis of the way in which the post-Soviet space has evolved, taking into account the Baltic states, the Republic of Moldova and Armenia – states with different evolutions and historical trajectories.
A photo of Soviet flag in Kremlin lowered and changed with the Russian flag on December 25, 1991
Source: Der Spiegel
This series is addressed not only to the institutional and academic environment, but especially to young people interested in subjects such as history, international relations, and security policy. In this way, New Strategy Center aims to contribute to the development of the security culture in Romania, helping the leaders of over 20 years of our country to understand the effects and consequences of a truly historic moment.
The five online conferences will be public and will be broadcast live Calea Europeană, the media partner of this series of debates, as well as the official Facebook page and the website of the New Strategy Center.
Program – 30 Years Since the Dissolution of USSR
9 December 2021 – The Fall of the USSR and the End of the Bipolar World
13 December 2021 – 30 Years Since the Dissolution of the USSR. The Impact on Western Europe
15 December 2021 – 30 Years Since the Dissolution of the USSR. The Consequences for Russia
17 December 2021 – 30 Years Since the Dissolution of the USSR. The Impact on the Former States of the Communist Camp
20 December 2021 – 30 Years Since the Dissolution of the USSR. The Impact on the Post-Soviet Space