Margarita Balmaceda, Ph.D., Moderates Ukraine Geopolitics Panel at Harvard University Conference

Margarita Balmaceda, Ph.D., a founding faculty member in the School of Diplomacy and International Relations and a leading expert in energy political economy, moderated the opening panel at the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute’s (HURI) Temerty Contemporary Ukrainian Program Conference, held on February 7-8, 2025.

Titled The Geopolitical Landscape, the panel brought together experts from academia and policy research institutions to examine Ukraine’s position in shifting global dynamics. Panelists included Suresh Babu of the International Food Policy Research Institute, Polina Beliakova of MIT and Thammy Evans and Olga Khakova from the Atlantic Council.

As moderator, Balmaceda guided discussions on several pressing issues impacting Ukraine’s role in global affairs. One of the central themes was how the evolving geopolitical landscape – in particular involving the Global South— affecting the Russo-Ukrainian war and Ukraine’s striving for a just peace.. The conversation addressed food security, Ukrainian grain access and infrastructure rebuilding. The role of rare earths and commodity extraction in post-war reconstruction was also discussed.

Another key discussion point was Ukraine’s positioning amid shifting U.S.-EU relations, especially regarding energy and environmental policy. Panelists explored challenges surrounding the disruption and resilience of supply chains, trade issues related to Ukrainian grain exports, particularly tensions with Poland, and Ukraine’s transition from being seen as a recipient of aid to an emerging business partner.

Balmaceda also led the panel in discussing Ukraine’s role in a future international division of labor, particularly its decoupling from Russia and integration into European economic structures. The panelists examined how Ukraine’s natural resources could create economic opportunities through strategic partnerships, such as lithium mining for global energy markets.

Climate change and its impact on Ukraine’s agriculture and land usage rounded out the conversation. Panelists noted Ukraine’s strong soil fertility as a basis for its role as a leading grain exporter and discussed the importance of sustainable resource management amid global environmental challenges.

Balmaceda, holds a Ph.D. in Politics from Princeton University and is a renowned scholar in international relations and energy political economy. She is the author of Russian Energy Chains: The Remaking of Technopolitics from Siberia to Ukraine to the European Union and a 2024-2025 Wilson Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. She recently received  an Expert Certification on Sustainable Fertilizers, as well as Leader Certifications on Product Stewardship and Nutrient Stewardship from the International Fertilizer Association; her co-authored article on the geopolitics of fertilizer supply was recently published by the journal One Earth. Her forthcoming article, Ukraine’s Reconstruction Will Raise Key Energy and Natural Resource Challenges and Choices, will appear in the Fletcher Forum in Winter 2025.

The panel underscored the importance of continued dialogue and research on these issues, with Ukraine playing a pivotal role in shifting geopolitical and economic landscapes. Balmaceda’s participation at the HURI conference highlights Seton Hall’s engagement in global academic discourse and its commitment to advancing research on critical international challenges.

Categories: Nation and World