Dr. James Armstead will discuss the historical and cultural context of Russia's imperialism in eastern Europe, international law defining the modern nation-state, the status of the current war and resolution possibilities. How should the United States respond to Russian aggression and its rising alliance with China, North Korea and Iran?

Dr. Armstead taught and practiced international law for 50 years. He negotiated treaties for the United States, NATO, and the United Nations. He served with the UN Secretariat as a visiting legal expert and edited the Treaty of Rome, which created the International Criminal Court (ICC). He has served on 19 university faculties in the United States, UK, France, South Africa and the Ukraine, including Stanford, the University of California, Pepperdine, the University of London, and the U.S. Naval War College. He has written on the protection of cultural property and command responsibility within the military and is a recognized authority on the law of war and war crimes. During the past decade he has concentrated on Ukrainian strategic, international and defense issues.