Russia Ukraine War

Faculty Expertise

Northeastern faculty are available to speak about a broad range of topics on the developing situations in Eastern Europe.

To arrange interviews please email media@northeastern.edu to reach the media relations team or contact experts directly by visiting the media inquiries page.

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Maia Cross' new book: The European Union’s Grand Strategy: A Planetary-Scale Approach for Safeguarding the Future.

In a new book, professor lays out a vision for EU grand strategy

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by Tanner Stening
A man wearing a denim sweater is walking through an open cell door.

Why hostage-taking thrives in an era of great power competition

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by Tanner Stening
Workers tend do a scene with two destroyed cars, smoke rising from them.

Ukraine is taking the war deep into Russia. Is it working?

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by Tanner Stening
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaking at a lectern during a press conference.

Would the US defend Europe from a Russian attack? Leaders meet at NATO Summit

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by Matthew Ponsford
People work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange.

The Iran War is causing market swings. Can it bounce back?

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by Tanner Stening
Ukrainian servicemen walk through a charred forest along the front line.

Russia-Ukraine war at four years: A snapshot in numbers

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by Tanner Stening
A soldier kneels by a burial site, with blue and yellow flags waving in the background.

As wars in Ukraine and Gaza drag on, counting the dead grows harder

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by Tanner Stening
An Eastern European monument shown against a gray sky.

Beyond land: Why Russia and Ukraine are also fighting over language

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by Tanner Stening
A railway worker stands in front of a destroyed train locomotive under a gray sky.

Disinformation and distrust means we know very little about how supply chains are being affected by war in Ukraine

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by Patrick Daly
Smoke seen from a distant building in Ukraine.

The US-led peace process in the Russia-Ukraine War may be ‘fizzling,’ a Northeastern expert says 

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by Tanner Stening
A headshot of Natalya Watson, an associate teaching professor, shown with arms crossed and a stern expression.

Northeastern linguist finds resilient educators in Ukraine’s underground classrooms

by Alena Kuzub
President Trump and President Putin silhouettes seen standing side by side from behind.

Will Trump and Putin’s Alaska summit succeed without Ukraine or the EU?

by Alena Kuzub
A split screen of Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the left, and U.S. President Donald Trump, on the right.

Putin’s word is ‘totally unreliable,’ expert says ahead of Trump-Putin summit

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by Tanner Stening
The silhouette of a person and a drone is shown against the backdrop of dark clouds.

Following a successful drone campaign, does Ukraine have the upper hand in the war?

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by Tanner Stening
Two military men examine a drone, which is illuminated red.

‘It really is about drones.’ How cheap combat drones are reshaping the Russia-Ukraine war

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by Tanner Stening
An 'X' shaped logo on a black background.

Northeastern study looks to find out what side the social media lurkers are on

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by Patrick Daly
World leaders sitting around a square shaped table at a summit. Next to the table are a series of flags representing the countries that the leaders represent.

Can Europe help defend Ukraine without US support?

by Alena Kuzub
A truck parked on the edge of an ilmenite open pit mine in a canyon.

‘No credible evidence’ that Ukraine has rare earth minerals, says Northeastern expert

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by Tanner Stening
A person's silhouette as they sit in front of a TV broadcast.

North Korean troops are reportedly aiding Russia. What kind of effect could they have on the battlefield? 

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by Tanner Stening
A portrait of Kamala Harris (left) and Donald Trump (right).

Election 2024: Why Europe watched anxiously as Americans cast their ballots for president

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by Tanner Stening
Hundreds of people sit in the United Nations Headquarters, a room with green carpets and wooden benches facing large TV screens.

Will the international legal system ultimately hold those accountable for atrocities in the Russia-Ukraine, Hamas-Israel wars?

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by Tanner Stening
A Cuban sailor walking outside in the sun past a Russian Navy ship.

Russian warships in Cuba recalls ‘Cold War posturing,’ but no threat, expert says

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by Tanner Stening
A Russian Orthodox Church priest gesturing while speaking to soldiers outside.

What does it mean that the Russian Orthodox Church is calling Putin’s invasion of Ukraine a ‘holy war’?

by Cynthia McCormick Hibbert
A serviceman on combat duty at dusk.

Are the Western allies still committed to helping Ukraine defeat Russia after two years of the Russia-Ukraine war?

by Alena Kuzub
A rocket takes off from a base with smoke flying in all directions.

If Russia is developing some kind of space-based weapon, Putin may never get to use it. Here’s why

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by Tanner Stening
Silhouette of President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin standing next to each other.

How would a second Trump term impact NATO, US-Russia relations, the war in Europe?

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by Tanner Stening
Smoke billowing from an apartment building in Ukraine that had been hit by a Russian missile.

Could the Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine wars escalate into World War III?

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by Tanner Stening
A blue and black-colored book titled "The AI Military Race" is suspended in the air in front of a blue background.

Military AI: New book anticipates a world of ‘killer robots’ — and the need to regulate them

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by Tanner Stening
Troops in the Russia Ukraine War walking outside.

China pushing message it is more neutral and better suited than US to lead global security, researchers say  

by Alena Kuzub
Various architecture in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Old architecture, new democracy? In Tbilisi, they go together.

by Schuyler Velasco
Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a press conference

NATO rides the wave of unprecedented unity while being careful to not cross a political line with Russia

by Alena Kuzub
Elina Svitolina at the Wimbledon 2023 quarter final match

Should athletes shake hands during war? A look at this year’s Wimbledon handshaking controversy

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by Tanner Stening
pile of cluster munitions

Why are cluster munitions, or cluster bombs, so controversial?

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by Cyrus Moulton
president Joe Biden walking with Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Northeastern professor meets India’s PM Modi, explains the first state visit 

by Alena Kuzub
A photo of Meta headquarters in Dublin

Meta fine shows EU is ‘regulatory superpower,’ Northeastern expert says

by Ian Thomsen
inside of the parliament in Budapest, Hungary as various lawmakers vote on Finland's bid to join NATO

As Finland prepares to join NATO, defense forces have become more ‘visible’ inside its borders

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by Tanner Stening
headshot of Mai’a Cross

Northeastern’s Mai’a Cross receives prestigious lifetime membership on the Council on Foreign Relations

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by Tanner Stening
vladimir putin gesturing while speaking

Christian nationalists are enamored with Putin, even if they oppose Russia, new research from Northeastern professor says

by Cody Mello-Klein
A crowd of people hold Ukrainian flags

One year later, Northeastern experts say no end in sight for Russia’s war on Ukraine

by Alena Kuzub
soldier walking past a line of tanks

Western allies ‘ramping up’ in Ukraine despite corruption scandal 

by Alena Kuzub
person carrying belongings out of a bombed home

Russia-Ukraine war in 2023: Can there be a way out? 

by Alena Kuzub
Oil tanker in body of water

Price cap on Russian oil is experimental, but Russia won’t get away unscathed, Northeastern expert says

by Alena Kuzub
Brittney Griner

Brittney Griner ‘will be a different person’ after traumatic Russian imprisonment, says Northeastern psychologist

by Ian Thomsen
group of people posing for a picture

Northeastern grad took a stand against the war in Ukraine and extricated her employees from Russia

by Alena Kuzub
vendors in a market in the dark

How will Ukraine survive winter if Russia decides to ramp up infrastructure attacks?

by Alena Kuzub
Ukrainian armed forces walking through Izium, Ukraine.

The shift of power in the war theater in Ukraine is yet to be seen, Northeastern expert says

by Alena Kuzub
People walk among destroyed military vehicles on a city street

When will Russia’s war on Ukraine end? Or will it continue for the sake of conflict?

by Alena Kuzub

How likely is a nuclear attack and how to prepare for it?

by Alena Kuzub
mobil gas station at night

What is greedflation – and is it driving higher prices?

by Ian Thomsen
ukranian soldiers in the country with artillery

How has the threat of World War III evolved, now that Russia and Ukraine have entered a ‘protracted’ war?

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by Tanner Stening

Ukraine-Russia grain export deal could still go forward, but Russian attack on grain port puts trust in jeopardy, Northeastern expert say

by Alena Kuzub
man organizing cans on a grocery shelf

Is inflation creating a ‘new normal’ of high food prices? 

by Ian Thomsen
nato foreign ministers sit in a conference room

In the new Europe ‘neutrality is no longer an option’

by Ian Thomsen
People walk by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on May 12, 2022 in New York City.

How long will inflation last? And will it trigger a recession?

by Ian Thomsen

How do Russian citizens feel about the war in Ukraine? Here’s why it’s hard to tell.

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by Tanner Stening

Are you more likely to believe misinformation about Ukraine or COVID-19?

by Molly Callahan

Has Russia’s timeline in Ukraine accelerated? Here’s what you need to know.

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by Tanner Stening

The shackles of the United Nations Security Council veto, explained

by Molly Callahan

What does the US have to do to avoid a recession?

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by Tanner Stening

At war’s end, will Ukrainian refugees come home–or thrive elsewhere?

by Molly Callahan
Robert Salomon Morton Lecturer Jan Grabowski, Professor of History at the University of Ottawa and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, speaks about Holocaust denial and distortion in Northeastern's West Village.

A more insidious form of Holocaust denial emerges

by Ian Thomsen

War crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide? How to understand Russian atrocities in Ukraine.

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by Tanner Stening

How to simplify complex supply chains amid unprecedented disruption

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by Tanner Stening
field of windmills

Why aren’t we using the global gas crisis to go green?

by Ian Thomsen

Deepfakes and fake news pose a growing threat to democracy, experts warn

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Why Ukrainian neutrality may not be a pathway to peace

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by Tanner Stening
In this photo provided by Turkish Presidency, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, center, gives a speech to welcome the Russian, left, and Ukrainian delegations ahead of their talks, in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, March 29, 2022.

Why Biden’s call for Putin’s ouster isn’t damaging the Ukraine negotiations

by Ian Thomsen
Two separate portraits of two male Northeastern Russian students standing outside

Russian students at Northeastern express support for Ukraine, share feelings about the war

by Hillary Chabot

The other casualty of the war in Ukraine–architecture

by Molly Callahan

The war in Ukraine is creating a massive grain shortage. What does that mean for the rest of the world?

by Molly Callahan
A truck is refueling, surrounded by banana trees.

What does the war in Ukraine have to do with the price of bananas? It’s complicated.

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by Tanner Stening

A month into the invasion of Ukraine, is the Russian army becoming demoralized?

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by Tanner Stening

The Russia-Ukraine war could throw global supply chains into chaos. And that’s the best-case scenario.

by Molly Callahan

Speak out and compete, or stay silent and stay home? Russian athletes face a dilemma.

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by Tanner Stening
Map of eastern Europe that shows where Ukrainian refugees have fled since Russia invaded the country.

Unlike other refugees, Ukrainians are being met with open arms in Europe. Is it racism, or a new attitude toward those fleeing war?

by Molly Callahan

What happens to an American imprisoned in Russia? For a WNBA star, the troubles have only just begun

by Peter Ramjug

War is about suffering and death. But should those images be portrayed in the news?

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by Tanner Stening
A mangled, burning car in front of war-damaged buildings

Is World War III possible? The next few weeks will tell.

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by Tanner Stening
delegates sitting in international criminal courtroom

Will Putin face war crimes charges? Here’s how the legal process may play out.

by Peter Ramjug

How will the Russian invasion of Ukraine end? And at what cost?

by Molly Callahan

Russia hasn’t launched a massive cyberattack on Ukraine yet. Why not?

by Peter Ramjug

What could SpaceX’s Starlink do for Ukraine?

by Eva Botkin-Kowacki
The Ukrainian city of Irpin, 22 kilometers northwest of Kyiv, is experiencing heavy fighting as Ukrainian Forces attempt to halt the Russian Forces advancing towards the capital city on March 3, 2022.

In a historic shift driven by the Russia-Ukraine war, Germany building up its military

by Ian Thomsen

How TikTok is influencing the tide of war in Ukraine

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by Tanner Stening
International Space Station.

The International Space Station may become a casualty of the Russian war in Ukraine

by Ian Thomsen
president vladimir putin walking through a doorway

Putin raised Russia’s nuclear forces alert status. What does that mean?

by Peter Ramjug
Lawmakers applaud during German Chancellor Olaf Scholz' speech on the Russian invasion of the Ukraine during a meeting of the German federal parliament, Bundestag, at the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, Feb. 27, 2022. Nowhere has the change been more pronounced than in Germany, the European Union's leading economic power but also a country that has been reluctant to invest heavily in military power, in large part because of its militaristic past which resulted in the horror of World War II.

Vladimir Putin aimed to weaken Western alliances. He is strengthening them instead.

by Ian Thomsen

What is NATO’s Response Force, and why is it being activated?

by Peter Ramjug
Protesters demand that Russia be banned from the SWIFT system during a rally for Ukraine at the White House. This system facilitates international interbank transactions, and banning Russia would severely curtail business transactions and banking. Hundreds of people protested following Russia's overnight invasion of Ukraine to demand sanctions on Russia and military assistance for Ukraine. The event was sponsored by United Help Ukraine, a U.S.-based assistance and advocacy organization.

SWIFT, the ‘nuclear option,’ is about to be used as a sanction on Russia

by Ian Thomsen
Photo of binary text on a computer screen.

Russian disinformation is part of its war effort in Ukraine. How can the West respond?

by Ian Thomsen

What Russia’s invasion of Ukraine means for the global balance of power

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by Tanner Stening

Stunned students protest Russian invasion of Ukraine

by Hillary Chabot

What do we call what’s happening in Ukraine? Words matter

by Eva Botkin-Kowacki
president joe biden speaking at a podium

Economic sanctions may hurt, but they rarely deter

by Peter Ramjug