The panel was organized as a constructive dialogue between Antonia COLIBĂȘANU, Senior Associate Expert at the New Strategy Center and analyst at Geopolitical Futures, and Mikhail KASYANOV, Russian opposition politician and former Prime Minister of the Russian Federation (2000–2004).

The discussions focused on the state of the Russian economy and its stance on the war in Ukraine. In this context, the speaker emphasized that the Putin regime has succeeded in transforming Russia’s economy into a war economy; however, this shift may undermine its long-term stability and legitimacy by triggering a state of stagflation followed by recession. He also noted that Putin’s Russia is now producing five times more artillery ammunition than the EU, which is why Putin aims to prolong the war for as long as possible. On the other side of the Atlantic, the Trump administration is unwilling to continue funding assistance to Ukraine. Therefore, in this context, it is essential for European states to exert every possible form of pressure to weaken Russia, as a weakened Russia is the only Russia Putin can lead.

Watch the live sessions on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/MYwJ3FHgzQY?feature=share