George F. Kennan Roundtable on Russia and Eurasia

Director: Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies
October 1, 2001 - Present

The Kennan Roundtable is an on-going series of meetings that focus on the major policy questions posed by changing U.S. relationships with Russia and the former Soviet states of Eurasia. Whether measured by the near-alliance between Presidents Bush and Putin, the establishment of bases in Central Asia, or Ukraine's decision to seek NATO membership, there has been significant enhancement of these relationships since September 11. Understanding their durability and direction is the principal aim.

Meetings examine areas of expanding cooperation, such as Moscow's unfolding energy strategy and the security of sensitive nuclear materials. We will also look at emerging areas of discord. In the case of Russia, these include the tensions associated with its recurrent pressures on Georgia; in the case of Ukraine and Central Asia, the continuing emphasis placed by U.S. policy on democratization and human rights.

Meetings

Roundtable Meeting

A Conversation with Valery Khoroshkovsky

Speaker:

Valery Khoroshkovsky, Former First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
April 24, 2013

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

Wheel of Fortune: The Future of Russian Energy Politics

Speaker:

Thane Gustafson, Author, Wheel of Fortune: The Battle for Oil and Power in Russia; Senior Director, Russian and Caspian Energy, IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates

Presiders:

Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Council on Foreign Relations, Michael A. Levi, David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow for Energy and the Environment and Director of the Program on Energy Security and Climate Change, Council on Foreign Relations
January 18, 2013 12:15-12:45 p.m. - Lunch
12:45-1:45 p.m. - Meeting

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

The Iron Curtain and Beyond: Eastern Europe in the Cold War and Today

Speaker:

Anne Applebaum, Columnist, Washington Post and Slate

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
November 27, 2012

This meeting is on the record.

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Roundtable Meeting

The Future of U.S.-Georgia Relations

Speaker:

George Bokeria, Secretary, National Security Council of Georgia

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
April 17, 2012

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

A Conversation with Oleg Kashin

Speaker:

Oleg Kashin, Journalism Fellow, The Paul Klebnikov Fund

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
April 5, 2012

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

Russian Protests and the Media

Speaker:

Alexey Pivovarov, NTV, Moscow

Presider:

Esther Dyson, EDventure Holdings, Inc.
January 5, 2012

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

Commercial and Economic Prospects in Russia

Speaker:

David Peattie, BP PLC

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich, Council on Foreign Relations
October 6, 2010

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting ⁄ Washington, DC

A Conversation with Igor Yurgens

Speakers:

Igor Yurgens, Chairman, Institute of Contemporary Development, Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow, CFR
October 16, 2009

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

The Energy Security Picture: Russia, Europe, and the United States

Speakers:

Jonathan H. Elkind, The Brookings Institution, Jeffrey Mankoff, Council on Foreign Relations, David G. Victor, Council on Foreign Relations

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich, Council on Foreign Relations
February 18, 2009

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

Is Putin in Trouble? A Roundtable with Garry Kasparov

Speaker:

Garry Kasparov, Solidarnost Movement

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich, Council on Foreign Relations
January 15, 2009

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

Georgia, Russia, and the West

Speaker:

David Bakradze, Parliament of the Republic of Georgia

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich, Council on Foreign Relations
December 11, 2008

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

U.S. Energy Policy in Eurasia

Speaker:

Jennifer Coolidge, CMX Caspian and Gulf Consultants Ltd.

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich, Council on Foreign Relations
October 29, 2008

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

The Russian-Georgian War: What's at Stake

Speakers:

Ghia Nodia, Republic of Georgia, Stephen Sestanovich, Council on Foreign Relations
October 1, 2008

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

Roundtable on Turkmenistan: Prospects for Change Under the New Regime

Presider:

Stephen R. Sestanovich, F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Council on Foreign Relations

Speaker:

Ambassador Steven Mann, U.S. Coordinator for Eurasian Energy Diplomacy, U.S. Department of State
May 20, 2008

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

Tension Between Russia and the West: Can We Go Too Far?

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Council on Foreign Relations

Speaker:

Sergei Karaganov, Chairman, Council on Foreign and Defense Policy
December 3, 2007

This meeting is not for attribution.

General Meeting ⁄ New York

Marshall Shulman Memorial Event: Russian-American Relations - Can We Do Better?

Presider:

Leslie H. Gelb, President Emeritus and Board Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations

Panelists:

Robert H. Legvold, Professor of Political Science, Columbia University, Andrei Piontkovsky, Director, Center for Strategic Research (Moscow), Visting Fellow, Hudson Institute, Dimitri Simes, President, The Nixon Center, Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
October 22, 2007 5:30-6:00 p.m. - Reception
6:00-7:30 p.m. - Panel Discussion

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

Breakfast with Ivane Merabishvili

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, The Council on Foreign Relations

Speaker:

Ivane Merabishvili, Interior Minister, Republic of Georgia
January 23, 2007 8:30-10:00 a.m.

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

Roundtable with Alexander Voloshin

Presider:

Richard N. Haass, President, The Council on Foreign Relations

Speaker:

Alexander S. Voloshin, Chairman of the Board of Directors, United Energy System
November 2, 2006 4:30-6:00 p.m.

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

Lunch with President Saakashvili

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, The Council on Foreign Relations

Speaker:

Mikhail Saakashvili, President, Republic of Georgia
September 22, 2006 12:30-2:00 p.m.

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

Georgia Two Years After the "Rose Revolution"

Speaker:

Nino Burdjanadze, Speaker, Parliament of Georgia

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich
September 7, 2005

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

Ukraine Update

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich

Speaker:

Konstyantyn Gryshchenko, former Foreign Minister of Ukraine
June 13, 2005

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

Ukraine: Orange Revolution Update

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich

Speaker:

John E. Herbst, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, U.S. Department of State
March 9, 2005

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

A Close Look at Ukraine

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich

Speaker:

Carlos B. Pascual, U.S. Department of State
November 3, 2003

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

A Conversation with Alexander Vershbow

Panelists:

Stephen Sestanovich, Columbia University, Robert H. Legvold

Speaker:

Alexander Vershbow, U.S. Embassy - Moscow
May 8, 2003

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

Georgia and the Caucasus

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich, Council on Foreign Relations

Speaker:

David Gamkrelidze, Parliament of Georgia
December 10, 2002

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

Ukraine's Application to NATO

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich

Speaker:

Konstyantyn Gryshchenko, Ambassador of Ukraine to U.S.
July 2, 2002

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

The U.S., Central Asia and the Caucasus: Strategic Outlook

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich

Speaker:

Lynn Pascoe, Department of State
March 25, 2002

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

America's Response to Terrorism: U. S. - Russia Relations

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich

Speaker:

Alexander Vershbow, U. S. Ambassador to Russia
February 12, 2002

This meeting is not for attribution.

Roundtable Meeting

America's Response to Terrorism: Russia and Non-Proliferation

Presider:

Stephen Sestanovich

Speaker:

John S. Wolf, Assistant Secretary for Non-Proliferation, Department of State
January 31, 2002

This meeting is not for attribution.