About Tom Sauer

Russia and the West

Political tensions dominate the news and headlines world-wide. Recognising the vast arsenal of (nuclear) weapons many leaders have at hand along with the massive potential to threaten entire nations, it becomes clear and undeniable that good international relations and foreign policies remain vital for a peaceful existence. Considering the Ukraine crisis, that has been extensively magnified in the media the past year, Putin’s Russia is (often) considered as one of the biggest threats faced in the West. However, according to political scientist dr. Tom Sauer, an expert in foreign relations and nuclear weapon control, these stressed Westerns-Russian relations are not merely a blame of Putin. The author of Eliminating nuclear weapons and The battle for peace argues how certain actions in the aftermath of the Cold War have inevitably resulted in the currently convoluted relationship. On stage of TEDxUHasselt, Tom explains how the West has missed an opportunity to incorporate Russia in the Euro-Atlantic security architecture. Emphasising on the role of the NATO in this entanglement, his talk “Russia and the West” also reflects on the Russian Crimea occupation being a consequence of this historically-complicated political tension. Will it all lead to war or is there still a reason to hope for peace? Check it out on TEDxUHasselt 2018!