New York University lecturer Nick Pelman gave a lecture for students of the Faculty of International Relations

The Faculty of International Relations hosted a lecture by Nick Pelman, an American lecturer and assistant professor at New York University, for first- and second-year English language students.

During the lecture “Peculiarities of US Foreign Policy and US-Ukrainian Relations at the Present Stage,” Nick Pelman spoke about the periods of development of US foreign policy. He noted that the United States has gone from isolationism, which lasted from the founding of the country to World War I, to the global war on terror, which began after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The American professor noted that currently, US foreign policy is still shaped by public opinion, lobbying groups, and the domestic political situation.

The speaker discussed the complex issue of US support for Ukraine in the context of the ongoing war with Russia. He provided arguments for support, including: stabilization of Europe, weakening of Russia, the main rival of the United States, and moral obligation, as Ukraine is defending itself against an illegal invasion, and the United States is obliged to support democracies under attack.

Among the challenges to supporting Ukraine, the speaker highlighted domestic political considerations, a large amount of disinformation and propaganda that creates confusion among the US public, and a lack of public understanding - many Americans do not understand the separate budgets for foreign aid and domestic spending.

Nick Pelman shared his case studies on applying to graduate programs at US universities and spoke about the peculiarities of studying in America. The students had the opportunity to ask the guest questions and get practice in conducting discussions on political topics in English with an international relations expert and native speaker.