Woodlands – Ambassador Taylor: Ukraine, Russia, War & the West
Besides his powerful Congressional testimony and his name appearing in the headlines, arguably, no American diplomat has more experience or a deeper understanding of Ukraine and the threat from Russia, than Ambassador William Taylor. He served as the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine during the administrations of both President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama, and also as the U.S. Acting Ambassador to Ukraine during the Trump administration.
As a former infantry office and with his years working on Eastern Europe, Ambassador Taylor knows first-hand the challenges and missteps of the Ukrainian government – and the dire realities of what a war with Russia would mean, not just for the region, but for the world. With over 100,000 Russian soldiers surrounding Ukraine on three sides, Putin maybe preparing to invade Ukraine again on a much large scale than 2014. But even if Putin’s current tactics are just to be used as a bargaining chip, the menacing military and economic perils for Ukraine will remain for years to come.
Ambassador Taylor will discuss how this situation has evolved, with Europe possibly facing its largest and most destructive war since WWII. He will also review the ongoing struggles of the Ukrainian government and what diplomatic steps may be able to resolve this current crisis. In addition, Ambassador Taylor will survey the long-term military and economic risks for the U.S. and its NATO allies, with neighboring Ukraine constantly being imperiled and kept off balance by Russia.
About the Speaker:
Ambassador William B. Taylor is the former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, and current vice president, Russia and Europe at the U.S. Institute of Peace. From 2006 to 2009, he served as the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine during the administrations of President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama. In 2019, Ambassador Taylor served as Chargé d’Affaires (Acting Ambassador) at the U.S. embassy in Kyiv for the Trump administration.
During the Arab Spring, he oversaw U.S. assistance and support to Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Syria. Ambassador Taylor also served as the U.S. government’s Representative to the Mideast Quartet, which facilitated the Israeli disengagement from Gaza and parts of the West Bank. He served in Baghdad as the first director of the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office from 2004 to 2005, and in Kabul as coordinator of international and U.S. assistance to Afghanistan from 2002 to 2003. Ambassador Taylor was also coordinator of U.S. assistance to the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. He earlier served on the staff of Senator Bill Bradley.
Ambassador Taylor is a graduate of West Point and Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and served as an infantry platoon leader and combat company commander in the U.S. Army in Vietnam and Germany.