The Jan Koum Israel Studies Program at CDDRL hosted a webinar on November 19, 2025, featuring Ksenia Svetlova, Executive Director of ROPES (The Regional Organization for Peace, Economics and Security) and Associate Fellow at Chatham House, who discussed the interconnections between the Russia-Ukraine war and conflicts in the Middle East. The discussion, moderated by Visiting Fellow in Israel Studies Or Rabinowitz, explored how both conflicts have reshaped global attention and power dynamics, with Svetlova noting that the October 7 attacks diverted international focus from Ukraine, which Putin viewed as a strategic benefit despite Russia's continued inability to achieve its military objectives after nearly four years of war.

Svetlova, a former Knesset member and veteran journalist who reported from conflict zones across the Middle East, examined Russia's pragmatic but limited alliance with Iran and Hamas, Israel's hesitant response to supporting Ukraine due to outdated perceptions of Russian power, and the challenges both Ukrainian and Israeli societies face in maintaining resilience under sustained attack. The conversation also addressed Russia's diminished but persistent influence in Syria following Assad's fall, the effectiveness of democratic alliances versus authoritarian partnerships, and competing media narratives that shape international legitimacy. Svetlova concluded by outlining potential scenarios for ending the Ukraine conflict, emphasizing that exhaustion and continued Western sanctions may eventually force Russia toward a frozen ceasefire rather than genuine peace.

A full recording of the webinar can be viewed below: