On February 24, 2022, the Russian army invaded Ukraine in what would become the largest attack on a European country since World War II. In this special episode of Talking Policy, guest host Jesse Driscoll, an associate professor of political science at the UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy, sits down with a panel of experts from across the University of California for a conversation to mark the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion: Paul D’Anieri (UC Riverside), Jess Peake (UCLA), and Branislav Slantchev (UC San Diego). Together, they discuss the current status of the war, and what factors may impact a future settlement.

Jesse Driscoll is co-author of Ukraine’s Unnamed War: Before the Russian Invasion of 2022. Paul D’Anieri is the author of Ukraine and Russia: From Civilized Divorce to Uncivil War. Jess Peake is a recent Pulitzer Prize nominee for her article “War Crimes by Any Name” for Los Angeles Lawyer.

This interview was conducted on January 31, 2024, with additional recording on February 13, 2024. The audio has been edited for length and clarity.