PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The UCLA Center for Middle East Development hosted the event, "How Has the Russia-Ukraine War Affected the Middle East?," on October 19, 2023.

The Middle East has been deeply affected by the Russia-Ukraine war. The situation is extremely complex, including access to food, regional actors’ engagement with the two sides, and concerns about the consequences of potential outcomes of the war for regional and international dynamics. We will examine the experience and impact of the war for the people of the Middle East, the impact on regional conditions, the role played by regional actors in the war, and the influence of both Russia and Ukraine on various countries in the region. Join us for a discussion with expert analysts, followed by an audience Q&A moderated by Dr. Elizabeth Matthews, long-time co-editor of the UCLA CMED Routledge book series.

MEET THE PANELISTS

Ms. Yousra Fazili is a Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary of Defense and the Chief of Staff to the Under-Secretary of Defense (Comptroller/CFO). Previously, she was the Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs, where she directly managed US strategic alliances on arms control. Ms. Fazili assisted in establishing the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, strengthening domestic and international supply chains for the US and our allies, and working closely with industries to plan for a more green and carbon neutral manufacturing future. A seasoned national security policy advisor, she has experience providing public sector strategic planning, legal advice, and program management to maximize social impact to both the public and private sectors. In 2022, Ms. Fazili was honored by the Center for Strategic and International Studies as one of the top 50 leaders in national security and foreign policy.

Dr. Yevgeniya Gaber is a Ukrainian foreign policy expert and non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and Center in Modern Turkish Studies at Carleton University, Canada. Previously, she worked as a foreign policy advisor to the Prime Minister of Ukraine, deputy director of the Diplomatic Academy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, and political officer at the Embassy of Ukraine in Ankara. Her research interests cover European and black sea regional security with a particular focus on Ukraine, Russia, and Turkey. Dr. Gaber has published numerous articles and delivered lectures in diplomatic and defense academies across Europe.

Dr. H.A. Hellyer specializes in geopolitics, security studies, and political economy, holding more than 20 years of experience in governmental, corporate, and academic environments in Europe, USA, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Currently, he is a scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, serving as senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security and as a Cambridge University fellow. Previously, he was appointed deputy convener of the UK Government’s task force on radicalization. He was also a fellow at the Foreign and Commonwealth office of the Economic and Social Research Council, and a fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC. A British citizen of mixed English and Arab heritage, Dr. Hellyer has spent his life between the Arab world and the West.

MEET THE MODERATOR

Dr. Elizabeth Matthews is Professor of Political Science and Global Studies at California State University San Marcos. From 2019-2022 she served at the Interim Dean for the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences. She is currently the Faculty Fellow for Civic Engagement. She is the co-series editor of the UCLA Center for Middle East Development (CMED) and Routledge book series. Her most recent publication is International Relations Theory: A Primer, 2nd Edition, with Rhonda Callaway (Oxford University Press, 2020).