This panel shed light on the attitudes of Russian society and elites towards the war against Ukraine to better understand the extent of support for the regime, Putin himself, and the war. A key question the panel addressed was how Russian society has responded to the last few months of full-scale war, including the consequences this war and sanctions have had on daily life in Russia. Panelists also discussed prospects for a possible regime change in Russia and what impact this could have on both Ukrainian and global security.  

Ukraine Under Attack: A View from Kyiv provided robust insights into the current Ukrainian conflict, from a Ukrainian perspective. Iskra Kirova, a Senior Policy Analyst at the Open Society European Policy Institute, guided a discussion addressing the current state of warfighting in Ukraine. Panelists covered a wide range of topics, including Ukrainian faith in democracy, Russia’s evolving strategy, the impact of the war on civil society and the economy, and Ukraine’s relations with the West. 

BCSP Director Igor Bandovic highlighted the need for honest conversations, suggesting that Serbia can no longer remain Balkan-centric. Therefore, the inaugural Belgrade Security Conference (BSC) is focusing on the threat of authoritarianism in the wider context of Europe.  

The Belgrade Security Conference organizers are pleased to announce that the representatives of the Nobel Peace Prize Winners for 2022 will deliver keynote speeches during the first day of the Conference.

The 2022 Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski from Belarus, and two human rights organisations – Memorial from Russia and Center for Civil Liberties from Ukraine. As the Norwegian Nobel Committee has announced, this year’s laureates represent civil societies in their home countries and they demonstrate the importance of civil society for peace and democracy.

“The fight against the reign of terror must continue to be carried out by brave and dignified people within every community.”

Although written in 1984, these words of Vojin Dimitrijević are more relevant today than ever. This is precisely why this year’s Belgrade Security Conference will be dedicated to a prominent human rights defender and fighter for democracy Vojin Dimitrijević (1932 – 2012), on the occasion of ten years since his death.