The ‘world’s foremost historian of Ukraine’ (FT), Harvard Professor Serhii Plokhy joins us in London to trace the origins and evolution of the war and present an account of his nation’s defiance.

On 24 February 2022, Russia shocked the world by launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In the midst of checking on loved ones who were now on the front lines of Europe’s largest war since the Second World War, acclaimed Ukrainian-American historian Serhii Plokhy inevitably found himself attempting to understand the deeper causes of the invasion, analysing its course and contemplating the wider consequences.

In conversation with chef, award-winning author, co-founder of #CookforUkraine and a native of Kakhovka in Southern Ukraine, Olia Hercules, Professor Plokhy will present the history of a war that has burned since 2014,  and has since exploded a geo-political order that had been cemented since the end of the Cold War.

With an eye for the gripping detail on the ground, both in the halls of power and down in the trenches, as well as a keen sense of the grander sweep of history, Professor Plokhy will offer a vital account of the historical roots of the war, its course, and its possible outcomes. He will show us how Ukraine’s defiance of Russia, and the West’s demonstration of unity and strength, has presented a profound challenge to Putin’s Great Power ambition, and further polarised the world along a new axis.

This event is held in partnership with The Ukrainian Institute London. The UIL champions Ukrainian culture and shapes the conversation about Ukraine in the UK and beyond. They explore Ukrainian perspectives on global challenges. The UIL is an independent charity registered in England and Wales.

Praise for the works of Serhii Plokhy:

‘An utterly compelling account, deeply personal, persuasively authoritative, surely the must-read book for this challenging moment.’ – Philippe Sands on The Russo-Ukrainian War

‘An insightful and important book, that often reads like a good thriller, and that exposes the danger of mixing powerful technology with irresponsible politics.’ – Yuval Noah Harari on Chernobyl: History of a Tragedy

‘[An] exemplary account of Europe’s least-known large country… one of the joys of reading The Gates of Europe is that what might seem a dense account of distant events involving unfamiliar places and people is leavened by aphorism and anecdote.’ – Wall Street Journal on The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine