On the 27th  of February IDC on NATO organized a round table marking one year from the events that accompanied Ukraine’s „Revolution of Dignity” and the annexation of the Crimea peninsula by the Russian Federation.

The event was held at the headquarters of IDC on NATO and was attended by ambassadors, foreign officials  accredited to Chișinău, representatives of state institutions, military, journalists, specialist in security and defence, representatives of the civil society etc.

The conference was divided into two panels, which were dedicated to the two main topics of the event: Ukraine’s „Revolution of Dignity” and the annexation of Crimea. During the first panel speaches were delivered by H.E. Mr. Alkhtuhov Gennadiy, Charge d’Affaires of Ukraine in the Republic of Moldova H.E. and also by Mr. Artur Michalski,  Ambassador of Poland in the Republic of Moldova. The Ukrainian diplomat focused in his communication on The causes of the Ukrainian revolution and the lessons for the Republic of Moldova, while the Polish ambassador held a presentation on the topic The significance of the European option of the Ukraine. After these communication the participants at the conference had the opportunity to discuss with Mr. Mihai Carp, Deputy head of the Crisis Management Section of NATO Operations Division, on the general topic of the conference. Mr. Carp focused on the Ukrainian revolution, on the annexation of Crimea, but in particular on the measures undertaken by NATO at the summit from Wales held after these events. The first panel was followed by the session for debates and questions and answers during which those present had the chance to discuss with the protractors of the problems covered at the conference.

            During the second panel were included the presentations of Mr. Corneliu Ciurea, Program Director at the Institute for Development andSocial Initiatives and of Mr. Nicolae Țibrigan, expert of the Black Sea Universitary Foundation (BSUF). Mr. Ciurea held a presentation on the Ukraine’s neutrality in the context of the events from Crimea and Donbass region, making many paralels to Moldova’s neutrality. Mr. Țibrigan’s presenation – The annexation of Crimea from Russia’s perspective. Kremlin’s reasoning – offered an explanation of the Russian perspective on the events from Ukraine and of the arguments by which Russia has supported its   actions from Crimea and the East of Ukraine.

            The round table organized on the 27^th of February 2015 is part of the chain of public diplomacy activities of IDC on NATO. For further information and details, please contact us at +373 22 577 824,  or by e-mail : info@infocenter.md