event
Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Consequences of the War in Ukraine on the Middle East

Thu. March 17th, 2022
Live on Facebook and YouTube

Vladimir Putin launched a broad Russian military offensive against Ukraine in the early hours of February 24 after broadcasting a speech announcing a “special military operation” to “demilitarize Ukraine.” Ukraine was soon under attack from cruise and ballistic missiles, with Russia appearing to target infrastructure near major cities such as Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mariupol, and Dnipro. What is now an invasion of Ukraine has European leaders deeply concerned that the conflict could spread and become the largest war since 1945.

The war in Ukraine has sent ripples throughout Europe, but will also have far-reaching consequences for the Middle East. NATO-member Turkey will be part of the equation, and Turkish President Erdogan may use the conflict to play a mediation role, thereby increasing his country’s visibility, after Turkey was shunned by Europe and the Biden administration. The Russian presence in the Middle East will take on a new meaning in the context of a conflict that reflects Moscow’s desire to have strong influence in its immediate and broader neighborhood. This includes Syria, where Russia has a naval and air base, and Libya, where it also has an air base and has deployed pro-government mercenaries. The war will also have consequences on the energy sector in the Middle East, where, in view of the crisis, the United States could urge its partners Saudi Arabia and Qatar to expand energy supplies to Europe in case Russia decides to cut off what it supplies.

Join us on Thursday, March 17 from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Beirut time for a public panel with Emma Beals, Paul Stronski, Sinan Ülgen, Maha Yahya and Jihad Yazigi to discuss these issues and more.

The discussion will be held in English. Viewers may submit their questions for the panelists using the live chat feature on Facebook and YouTube during the event.

For more information, please contact Josiane Matar at josiane.matar@carnegie-mec.org.

Political ReformRussiaUkraineLevant
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
event speakers

Emma Beals

Beals is a senior advisor at the European Institute of Peace and is an independent consultant focused on Syria.

Paul Stronski

Senior Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Program

Paul Stronski was a senior fellow in Carnegie’s Russia and Eurasia Program, where his research focuses on the relationship between Russia and neighboring countries in Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

Sinan Ülgen

Senior Fellow, Carnegie Europe

Ülgen is a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe in Brussels, where his research focuses on Turkish foreign policy, transatlantic relations, international trade, economic security, and digital policy.

Maha Yahya

Director, Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Yahya is director of the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, where her research focuses on citizenship, pluralism, and social justice in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings.

Jihad Yazigi

Yazigi is founder and editor of the Syria Report and a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.