We need diplomacy, sanctions, and a global response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine: Fiona Hill

By Vishal Manve, MALD 2023 Candidate, The Fletcher School

On February 22, The Fletcher School hosted Fiona Hill, the former Senior  Director for Europe and Russia at the United States National Security Council, to discuss her recently released book There Is Nothing For You Here (2021). Dr. Hill was a key witness in the impeachment inquiry of former president Donald Trump. She spoke about her book that makes a strong case for a national policy that favours opportunity for those who have felt “left behind” by late-twentieth and twenty-first-century economic advancement, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and ‘Putinomics’. 

“There is a certain sense of urgency and frustration in Putin’s actions (in Ukraine) as he has been in power for 22 years and potentially 14 more years. Things are not going the way he planned and if he does not act now, things will move out of his grip,” Dr. Hill explained, outlining Putin’s attack on Ukraine. 

Furthermore, Dr. Hill described how Russia, since 2014, has been going in a different direction (politically), despite Putinomics focusing on making the Russian economy the 5th largest in the world. 

“The focus was on Putin making Russia great again through building the economy when we were in the run-up to 2008. But we had the great recession and the global financial crisis in 2008 and the Russians were affected by that…it was a bit of a shock for the system,” Dr. Hill explained, with the economic impact having further impaled Russia’s ability to maintain its geopolitical momentum amid China’s rise. 

“Suddenly the West implodes and Russia too gets caught up in the downturn and then we see the rise of China and a different model. In geopolitics, there is a constant rethinking of Russia’s position.” 

On the impact of Covid-19, Dr. Hill described how Putin, as a germophobe, and with a close brush with Covid-19, isolated himself through the pandemic and followed strict protocols to ensure his safety. 

“Putin has a reputation of being a germaphobe and then the bubble, the bunker, the siege mentality was exacerbated by the pandemic that led to the feeling of his time running out,” Dr. Hill explained. 

Dr. Hill has spent years studying geopolitics and specific trends in Eurasian history and has written a biography on Putin. 

Putin laid down the gauntlet during the Munich Conference in 2007, having warned  about Russia’s displeasure with European expansion, NATO’s role for 15-years, Hill explained, highlighting that, “He is taking us back to previous centuries.”

“He’s moved away from the Putinomics and the kind of economic emphasis on Russia, and he is literally going back into the past.” 

Explaining Russia’s geopolitics, Dr. Hill stated Putin has a very different path and extended his time in office beyond 2024 against the backdrop of the 100th anniversary of Vladimir Lenin’s death, leader of the October revolution. 

“The potential for Putin’s extended tenure is not wanting to deal with the 100th anniversary of the death of Lenin. Lenin is the reason behind the revolution that brought down the Empire,” Dr. Hill stated. 

On the role of Western actions and sanctions, Dr. Hill warned about the massive violations of principles of international order by Russia and the urgent need for a U.N.-mandated intervention. 

“It is very important that the Biden administration take the Ukraine issue to the United Nations because this is a massive violation of all of the precepts and principles of international order since World War II, and not just since the Cold War,” Dr. Hill added. 

When Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, the global response was collective, resulting in an international outcry and globally-coordinated response. Dr. Hill stated that the world, including the West, needs to respond collectively against Russia’s actions in Ukraine. 

On December 17, 2021, Russia had put forward an eight-point draft treaty seeking security guarantees to lower tensions in Europe. These comprised a ban on Ukraine joining NATO and limitations of troop deployment into NATO’s eastern flank among other contentious issues. 

“Generations of Fletcher students will be poring over Russia’s documents on Ukraine, NATO etc. I think we’re in for a pretty rough ride right now. But again, we can negotiate if there’s a will,” Dr. Hill concluded.