Acadia University

Biography of Presenter: Dr. David Duke

David Duke came to Acadia from the University of Alberta on a short-term contract in 1999 and is still here, now serving as Dean of Arts. His home unit is History and Classics, where he was head of unit from 2021-2022 before moving to the dean's office, and he also teaches in Acadia's Environment and Sustainability Studies program, having served as its Coordinator from 2012 to 2018. Born near Liverpool, England, he emigrated to Canada in the early 1980s and lived in Alberta for eighteen years before "coming home" to Nova Scotia. His academic areas of expertise are the history of Russia and the USSR, the history of science, and environmental history, and he teaches in all these areas. He has also published in the fields of Central Asian politics and history, and in Canadian environmental history also. Prior to coming to Acadia he completed his Ph.D. at the University of Alberta, teaching there for a number of years, as well as teaching Canadian history in Minsk, the capital of the former Soviet republic of Belarus in the early 1990s.

Outline:

1. Introduction
   • Ukraine’s independence in 1991: Initial optimism and challenges.
2. Early Relations (1991–2004)
   • Nuclear disarmament and the Budapest Memorandum (1994).
   • Economic interdependence and energy politics.
3. Orange Revolution (2004)
   • Democratic aspirations vs. Russian influence.
   • Impact on bilateral relations.
4. 2010s: Escalating Tensions
   • Yanukovych presidency and tilt toward Russia.
   • Euromaidan protests (2013–14): Turning point.
   • Annexation of Crimea (2014): International response.
   • War in Donbass: Russian support for separatists.
5. 2014–2021: Frozen Conflict and Hybrid Warfare
   • Minsk agreements and their limitations.
   • Cyber operations and disinformation campaigns.
6. Prelude to Full-Scale Invasion (2022)
   • NATO expansion debates.
   • Russia’s security narrative vs. Ukraine’s sovereignty.
7. Key Takeaways
   • Persistent struggle between Ukrainian independence and Russian influence.
   • Role of energy, security, and identity in shaping relations.