On May 23, 2023 Vernadsky CFU had the pleasure of hosting Scott Ritter, an American author, international relations analyst, former United States Marine Corps intelligence officer, former U.N. chief weapons inspector.

According to Head of the Vernadsky CFU’s Office of International Affairs Aleksandr Mashchenko, Scott Ritter’s visit presented a unique opportunity for the university students and staff to meet with a politically savvy professional willing to share his perspective and experience.

“The special military operation in Ukraine is part of a large, global conflict between the United States and Russia. The future of each of us depends on it,” commented Aleksandr Mashchenko.

During his visit to Vernadsky CFU, Scott Ritter delivered a public lecture and presented his book, Disarmament in the time of the Perestroika, which examines nuclear weapons agreements between Russia and the U.S. The book, its author claims, aims to warn the US public about not seeking out escalations with Russia and insists the Western public has forgotten how difficult it was to achieve these agreements in the first place.

“Students are our future. I want to help the younger generation discover their potential to change the world. I hope to encourage them to learn from my experience and use it to reach new heights. The most important thing is to always remain unbiased and accumulate knowledge within one’s own field of expertise,” Scott Ritter said.

An extended question-and-answer session took place after the lecture where students were able to engage Scott Ritter with their own comments and questions on the global geopolitical situation, U.S. – Russia relations and the role of Crimea in the interactions between the two countries, as well as on history and diplomacy in general.

American military expert Scott Ritter hosted at Vernadsky CFU