Director of Program on U.S.-Russia Relations at Columbia University’s Harriman Institute
According to Dr. Kimberly Marten, the idea of direct U.S. military confrontation with Russia is exactly what Russian President Vladimir Putin wants. In regards to the Ukraine crisis, she believes that military action would lead to a direct escalation against Washington, and this would negatively impact U.S. allies in the Baltics, U.S. industrial cyber resources, and U.S. citizens residing in Russia. She equates the ongoing conflict with the Cold War, in which U.S. diplomats regret the unnecessary militarization that prolonged the Soviet Union. Furthermore, Dr. Kimberly Marten has stated that sending weapons to Ukraine will in fact push Putin to ramp up the conflict, not deter him from taking any further action. In addition, sending weapons to Ukraine could prove to be counterproductive considering that, according to Dr. Marten, the Ukraine does not have a reliable professional military, and these weapons could be used against targets in Russia by those who seek to prove a wider war.
Dr. Marten will engage Network 20/20 members in an analysis of what would have happened if NATO hadn’t expanded, and historical analysis of Soviet intelligence organizations and their foreign policy impact.
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