lmost 20 scholars from Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) have written 50 reviews to look into the Russia-Ukraine crisis since this Feburary, which were published in multilingual media.

The published reviews are interpretating the crisis based on the perspectives of different countries and regions. For example, Yang Cheng, SISU professor and Executive Dean of Shanghai Academy of Global Governance and Area Studies (SAGGAS), released an editorial in The Paper on Feburary 22 explaining that the conflict may lead to the accelerated fall of American global hegemony because it couldn’t protect its allies as promised.

Prof. Jiang Feng, Chair of SISU's University Council, also attributed the Russia-Ukraine crisis to the game between Russia and the U.S. in an article written in the Global Times. He said, "The Russia-Ukraine crisis is at loggerheads, and the two sides are settling old scores left by the United States more than 30 years ago."

For a month, for the sanctions imposed on Russia by many Western countries, Yang Cheng said for China Business Network, "In Putin's view, Ukraine, whether joining NATO now or in the next 20 years, is detrimental to Russia's core interests. To avoid this situation, Russia could care less about the economic cost of Western sanctions."

Some scholars of SISU have also commented on the role of European countries and the impact of the crisis on them.

“Germany's role as a mediator have been questioned, also with its pacifist position and diplomatic viewpoint to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Germany was even once the most unpopular Western country with Ukrainian,” Head of SISU European Studies postgraduate program, Prof. Hu Chunchun said in The Paper.

Dr. Li Guanjie of SISU Center for British Studies published in The Paper, “Britain, which often presents itself as a defender of liberal democracy, regards Russia's policy towards Ukraine as destructive of Western democracy.”

“On Ukraine, clear differences between the U.S. and Europe have long been evident. The EU see the Minsk agreement, which has been undergoing renovation since February 2014, as an achievement of European diplomacy and a shortcut to peace, reflecting Europe's soft power and the EU's ‘normative power’.” Prof. Xin Hua, Director of SISU's Center for European Union Studies said in the Global Times.

SISU scholars’ reviews and opinions received a total of over 5,000 likes and nearly 1,000 comments on Chinese media websites including Global Times, The Paper, and China Business Network, and they were quoted by Reuters, South China Morning Post and other global news agencies and sources.

Since Russia's upper house approved the use of military abroad on Feburary 22, Russia and Ukraine have been in tension for over one month.

Learn more about SISU scholars' ideas on Russia-Ukraine Conflict