Dialogues

On Tuesday, April 4, students from MIIS and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) conducted a dialogue over Skype on U.S.-Russian cooperation in the fight against ISIS. With expert commentary by MIIS terrorism expert Jeffrey Bale, Summer Gary and Libiao Pan each delivered presentations on the main topic, which they coordinated with MGIMO students. Dialogues between MIIS students and MGIMO students represent one regular activity of the Graduate Initiative in Russian Studies, and are open to the public.

No conversation about bilateral cooperation in the fight against ISIS is likely to conclude without discussion of the war in Syria, a topic which both sides of the dialogue extensively covered. Dr. Bale later observed that, considering the chemical attack which occurred in Syria on April 4, a far different conversation would have taken place had the dialogue happened just one day later. Nonetheless, participants were able to reach a conclusion during the course of the dialogue on the importance of cooperation in a time when two powerful countries share a common threat. Moreover, the dialogue was a productive exchange of ideas in ways that the United States and Russian Federation might cooperate in the future on issues concerning international security.

This dialogue took place as a part of the NSO-GIRS Dialogue Series.

This dialogue took place as a part of the NSO-GIRS Dialogue Series.

On April 13, 2016 students in the Graduate Initiative in Russian Studies (GIRS) and Nonproliferation and
 Terrorism Studies (NPTS) degree program discussed various aspects of the Syrian Conflict with students
from the Student Scientific Society (NSO) at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). Two speakers from each academic institution provided brief presentations highlighting the above subtopics. The discussion then opened to questions and comments, and eventually focused on the way in which the conflict could proceed given the most likely policies of the U.S. Presidential Candidates vis a vis the crisis.

More information:

• Dialogue Agenda
• Participant Bios

This dialogue took place as a part of the NSO-GIRS Dialogue Series.

On March 2nd, students in the Graduate Initiative in Russian Studies (GIRS) and Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies (NPTS) degree program participated in an English-language Skype dialogue with students from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). During the discussion, speakers from both sides spoke about U.S. and Russian strategies and objectives in the Arctic region, U.S. and Russian Arctic oil and gas projects and the effect sanctions have had on related joint ventures. This spurred discussion of the prospects for future cooperation, most notably in regional natural resource extraction. At the end of the discussion, the President of the MGIMO Artic Club invited discussion participants and other MIIS students to participate in MGIMO’s Student Arctic Week from September 19-25, 2016. More information regarding this opportunity will soon be available.

This dialogue was the first of a new series of GIRS-MGIMO student dialogues to be conducted in both Russian and English languages on topical international relations issues. MIIS’ second-semester NPTS masters degree candidate Julia Diamond and MGIMO’s fourth-year bachelors degree candidate Adlan Margoev have partnered in organizing these dialogues. Through the talks students will exchange ideas, knowledge and perspectives, contributing to the GIRS mission of educating future specialists on Russia and Eurasia via discourse of the region. Organizers hope that the discussions can serve as a mechanism through which ties between American and Russian students, as well as between MIIS and MGIMO can be strengthened.   

The next discussion will occur on April 13 on the topic: fitting the Syria peace talks into the context of U.S.-Russia bilateral relations. Future discussion topics may include but are not limited to:

• Interpretations by Russian- and English-language mass media sources of current events
• The fight against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)
• Nuclear Security: 2016 Nuclear Security Summit
• Prospects for the resolution of the situation in Ukraine in the near term
• Iran and the future of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)
• Impacts on European and Eurasian security of NATO-Russian competition
• Next steps for U.S.-Russian cooperation in relation to North Korea
• The future of the INF Treaty
• U.S.-Russian cooperation on climate after the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21)
• Security and political developments in Afghanistan

On March 2nd, 2016, students in the Graduate Initiative in Russian Studies (GIRS) and Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies (NPTS) degree program participated in an English-language Skype dialogue with students from the Student Scientific Society (NSO) at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). During the discussion, speakers from both sides gave presentations on U.S. and Russian objectives and strategies in the Arctic region, focusing on U.S. and Russian Arctic oil and gas projects, as well as the effect sanctions have had on related joint ventures. This spurred discussion of the prospects for future cooperation, most notably in regional natural resource extraction. At the end of the discussion, the President of the MGIMO Arctic Club invited participants and other MIIS students to participate in MGIMO’s International Arctic Student Week, held from September 19-23, 2016.

More information:

• Dialogue Agenda
• Participant Bios

This dialogue took place as a part of the NSO-GIRS Dialogue Series.