Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
As the United States and European nations weigh potential “security guarantees” for Ukraine, discussions have veered toward how to coax Russia into accepting terms for war termination in Ukraine that are more acceptable to the West.
In a shifting international order, how can a compromise peace in Ukraine be beneficial for both U.S. grand strategy and the broader world? Going forward, in what ways will maximalist approaches to term-setting need to give way to compromise — and to more dynamic and flexible relations with a variety of actors? And how should the United States and its allies adjust course in the current negotiations?
To discuss these questions and more, QI held a conversation featuring George Beebe, director of Grand Strategy at the Quincy Institute, Sarang Shidore, director of the Global South program at the Quincy Institute, and Emma Ashford, senior fellow in the Reimagining U.S. Grand Strategy program at the Stimson Center. Zach Paikin, deputy director of QI’s Better Order project, moderated.
*Download the full webinar transcript here*:
quincyinst.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/17131149/Ukraine-Peace-Talks-and-the-Pitfalls-of-Maximalism-in-a-Multipolar-World.docx.pdf
Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. To support our work:
Help fund our research: quincyinst.org/donations
Read our reporting: ResponsibleStatecraft.org
TikTok: / quincyinst
Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInst
Facebook: / quincyinst
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Website: quincyinst.org
As the United States and European nations weigh potential “security guarantees” for Ukraine, discussions have veered toward how to coax Russia into accepting terms for war termination in Ukraine that are more acceptable to the West.
In a shifting international order, how can a compromise peace in Ukraine be beneficial for both U.S. grand strategy and the broader world? Going forward, in what ways will maximalist approaches to term-setting need to give way to compromise — and to more dynamic and flexible relations with a variety of actors? And how should the United States and its allies adjust course in the current negotiations?
To discuss these questions and more, QI held a conversation featuring George Beebe, director of Grand Strategy at the Quincy Institute, Sarang Shidore, director of the Global South program at the Quincy Institute, and Emma Ashford, senior fellow in the Reimagining U.S. Grand Strategy program at the Stimson Center. Zach Paikin, deputy director of QI’s Better Order project, moderated.
*Download the full webinar transcript here*:
quincyinst.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/17131149/Ukraine-Peace-Talks-and-the-Pitfalls-of-Maximalism-in-a-Multipolar-World.docx.pdf
Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank. To support our work:
Help fund our research: quincyinst.org/donations
Read our reporting: ResponsibleStatecraft.org
TikTok: / quincyinst
Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInst
Facebook: / quincyinst
Instagram: / quincyinst
Website: quincyinst.org
