Akademie im Bergson: "Putins Welt"

Russia's attack on Ukraine has plunged Europe into a turning point in terms of security policy and morality. To understand the present, it is worth taking a look at history: What continuities characterize Russian policy? How deeply do the imperial patterns of the tsarist empire extend into Vladimir Putin's current power logic - and what does this mean for Europe's future?

British Russia expert John Lough, Associate Fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Program at Chatham House, sheds light on the historical, political and social foundations of Russia's understanding of power. He shows how an old idea of size, control and influence is being reshaped in "Putin's world" - and what challenges this poses for Europe.

In his lecture, Lough spans the arc from the Tsarist Empire through the Soviet Union to the present day. We will address the following questions together:

• Why does Russia still see itself as an imperial power today?

• What role does identity play in Russian foreign policy?

• And how can Europe react to a leadership that relies on confrontation where cooperation was once the goal?

John Lough began his career as an analyst at the Research Center for Soviet Studies (later: Conflict Studies) with a focus on Soviet/Russian security policy. He worked for NATO for six years and was the first Alliance representative based in Moscow. At TNK-BP he gained direct experience in the Russian oil and gas industry as a manager in the international team. He then headed the Russia and CIS division at BGR Gabara, a public affairs and strategy consultancy. In addition to his work for Chatham House, John Lough is a consultant at Highgate, a strategic consultancy, and a Senior Research Fellow at the New Eurasian Strategies Center.

This Bergson Academy evening will focus on history, power and responsibility - and how Europe can respond to a new geopolitical reality.