European Studies, School of Modern Languages and Cultures HKU

2014 was a watershed in Russia’s relations with the West. With the Russian annexation of Crimea and intervention in Eastern Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin put European security at risk. The European Union and NATO retaliated with targeted sanctions. The “in-between” countries—such as Ukraine, Georgia, and Armenia—are seeking closer cooperation with Europe. Russia’s military involvement in the Syria war did not yield the expected recognition from Washington, and the Trump presidency makes a U.S. rapprochement with Moscow unlikely. China is a rising, yet challenging neighbour: for Russia, a full “pivot” to Asia is not an option.

Marie Mendras is a visiting scholar at HK Baptist University. She is a political scientist with the National Centre for Scientific Research and Sciences Po University in Paris. Prof Mendras also taught at Paris 1- Sorbonne and the London School of Economics, and was educated at Sciences Po, Johns Hopkins University, and Harvard University. Among her publications: Russian Politics. The Paradox of a Weak State (Hurst, 2012), « The Rising Cost of Russia’s Authoritarian Foreign Policy », in M. Light and D. Cadier, eds., Russia’s Foreign Policy (Palgrave, 2015), “The West and Russia: From Acute Conflict to Long-Term Crisis Management”, in D. Hamilton, S. Meister, eds., The Eastern Question: Russia, the West, and Europe’s Grey Zone (SAIS-JHU, 2016).

1 April 2019

SMLC Seminar: Russia-West Relations: Is the Confrontation Reversible? Dr. Marie Mendras Sciences Po - Paris & Hong Kong Baptist University 01 Apr 2019 (Mon) 4:30-6:00pm Room 4.36, Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU
2014 was a watershed in Russia’s relations with the West. With the Russian annexation of Crimea and intervention in Eastern Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin put European security at risk. The European Union and NATO retaliated with targeted sanctions. The “in-between” countries—such as Ukraine, Georgia, and Armenia—are seeking closer cooperation with Europe. Russia’s military involvement in the Syria war did not yield the expected recognition from Washington, and the Trump presidency makes a U.S. rapprochement with Moscow unlikely. China is a rising, yet challenging neighbour: for Russia, a full “pivot” to Asia is not an option. Marie Mendras is a visiting scholar at HK Baptist University. She is a political scientist with the National Centre for Scientific Research and Sciences Po University in Paris. Prof Mendras also taught at Paris 1- Sorbonne and the London School of Economics, and was educated at Sciences Po, Johns Hopkins University, and Harvard University. Among her publications: Russian Politics. The Paradox of a Weak State (Hurst, 2012), « The Rising Cost of Russia’s Authoritarian Foreign Policy », in M. Light and D. Cadier, eds., Russia’s Foreign Policy (Palgrave, 2015), “The West and Russia: From Acute Conflict to Long-Term Crisis Management”, in D. Hamilton, S. Meister, eds., The Eastern Question: Russia, the West, and Europe’s Grey Zone (SAIS-JHU, 2016).