The war in Ukraine is the kind of crisis that clarifies the importance of things that might otherwise be taken for granted: The ability of a sovereign nation to determine its own future, or that a rules-based international order is something that benefits all nations. The war has also made exceptionally clear the interdependence of economies and societies around the world. While Ukrainians suffered missile strikes and indiscriminate attacks, within days of the onset of Russian aggression, nations reliant on Ukrainian food production felt those supply chains contract. Similarly, nations reliant on Russian oil began to question the viability and wisdom of those trade relationships.
Throughout this last year, the United States Department of State has been the Biden administration's primary resource to lead Western democracies in providing military and humanitarian support to the people of Ukraine. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman has been key to those efforts, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this month in Kyiv.
As we approach one year since the beginning of Russia's war on Ukraine, we invite you to join us for a conversation with Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman about the work of the State Department and the stakes for the American people and for the project of democracy.