The Legacy of the Soviet Union in the 21st Century

Join us for an engaging discussion where we’ll explore how the collapse of the USSR continues to shape the political, economic, and cultural realities of its former republics. More than three decades later, the post-Soviet space remains a region of contrasts: from authoritarian entrenchment and frozen conflicts to surprising democratic resilience and economic diversification. How have nations like the Baltics forged paths toward European integration, while others like Belarus, Kazakhstan, or Azerbaijan followed distinct trajectories? What are the lingering effects of Soviet-era infrastructure, identity, and institutional legacies? And how has Russia, as the USSR’s successor state, influenced or intervened in its neighbors’ evolution?

Topics for Discussion

• EU and NATO Expansion: The Baltic States
• The Color Revolutions: Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan
• The 2008 Russo-Georgian War and the 2014 Crimea Crisis
• Authoritarian Stability in Belarus and Central Asia
• Soviet Nostalgia and Its Political Instrumentalization
• The Role of China and Turkey in Central Asia
• Energy Politics and Pipeline Diplomacy
• The War in Ukraine
• Language, Memory, and National Identity in Post-Soviet Nations