War expert coming to Vilnius: The problem is not just Trump and Putin’s actions

Natasha Kuhrt has spent nearly 25 years in the War Studies Department at King’s College London. She plans to step back from active teaching in September, but intends to continue her research. Her doctoral work examined Russia’s relations with China and Japan, with particular attention to the development of Russia’s Far East.

Kuhrt is coming to Vilnius for the ninth Leonidas Donskis Memorial Conference, titled “The Return of Great-Power Politics: A New Era for Small and Medium-Sized Countries.” The free conference will take place on September 18, although registration is required. Its central question is how smaller states can shape the international order while major powers continue to dominate the geopolitical conversation.

Kuhrt says the Baltic states have warned Western countries about the danger posed by Russia for many years. Their warnings, she says, were not always heard. She argues that the role of smaller states needs to be reassessed, and that geopolitics should be viewed not only through the lens of major powers but also from the perspective of ordinary people.

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I greatly admire the Baltic countries and what they have achieved in a truly quite short time since the collapse of the Soviet Union. It is simply remarkable.

Asked about the biggest challenges in international law and war studies, Kuhrt points to uncertainty about the direction of global affairs and the lack of a shared understanding of what the international order should look like. Trust among allies is also declining, particularly in the context of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, making it harder for European countries to reach agreements and achieve results.

Kuhrt says there will be no “magical solution” that resolves the uncertainty. She believes trust can be rebuilt and could lead to a more stable and predictable international order. The insecurity generated by the actions of leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Trump can change, she says, but the problem is not limited to those individuals. They are also symptoms of earlier problems, including the weakening of international law.

She says she greatly admires the Baltic countries and what they have achieved in a relatively short period since the collapse of the Soviet Union, calling it “simply remarkable.”

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We cannot simply wait for a magical solution that would resolve everything.