In 2021, Alex Bick had a bird’s-eye view as the crisis in Ukraine developed in real-time. As Director for Strategic Planning on the National Security Council under President Joe Biden, he led the “Tiger Team” charged with planning the U.S. response to Russia’s invasion. Last year, Bick joined UVA Batten’s faculty as an associate professor of practice in public policy, bringing his expertise on international policy to the school.

This fall, Bick will teach a course that traces the evolution of the war to examine core problems in national security, foreign policy, and strategic decision making. Students will gain insight into why President Putin decided to invade Ukraine, what policies and instruments leaders in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere chose to respond (and why), and how the war is transforming the global strategic landscape.

As a preview, we asked Professor Bick a few questions. 

    > Sign up for the class, LPPS 5555, “The War in Ukraine” 

Q: The war in Ukraine is in constant flux – how would you briefly describe the situation as it stands now (August 2024)? 

Professor Bick: This is a great question, because war is dynamic in ways that are almost impossible to predict. This is the largest land war in Europe since World War II. What President Putin hoped would be a short, decisive victory for Russia is now in its third year. The fighting is concentrated along a relatively stable line in eastern Ukraine, but both sides are looking for ways to tip the balance in their favor. Just this month, for example, Ukraine surprised nearly everyone by launching a cross-border incursion into the Russian territory of Kursk, a major embarrassment for Putin. The diplomatic path forward is also uncertain. Right now, peace talks seem a distant prospect, but that could change as a result of developments on the battlefield or other factors, including the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.  

Q: What about public policy, both U.S. policy and Russian policy? 

Bick: The United States has stood firmly behind Ukraine and helped to mobilize a broad international coalition to oppose Russia’s aggression. As the war drags on, U.S. officials will face tough policy questions: How should we deal with deepening cooperation between Russia and its authoritarian partners? Can the United States sustain current levels of support to Ukraine while also addressing a crisis in the Middle East and improving its long-term strategic position vis-a-vis China? How can we help Europe to defend itself, recognizing that the U.S. security umbrella has been instrumental to maintaining peace and unity on the continent? At what point might Ukraine be ready to negotiate and what role can and should the United States play in securing a just peace? Russia must decide how long it is willing to bear the burdens of war – which have been significant – and what impact it will have on Russia’s status going forward, especially its dependence on China. Managing the risks of escalation is a central policy concern for nearly everyone.    

Q: How do you foresee a potential Trump administration impacting the war? A potential Harris administration? 

Bick: America’s choices matter a great deal. Former President Trump has made clear he would seek to end the war as quickly as possible, even if that means compelling Ukraine to cede more than 20% of its territory to Russia – terms Kyiv does not accept. Vice President Harris, if elected president, is more likely to sustain U.S. support for Ukraine and continue to oppose Russian aggression. Knowing this, both sides – as well as leaders throughout Europe – are closely watching U.S. politics as they plot their next moves.

Q: What is your approach to teaching these topics to today’s generation of students? 

Bick: This is a class about policy. We’ll talk about history and use tools from political science and other disciplines, but the emphasis is on how leaders make decisions about war and peace. We’ll talk about uncertainty, imperfect information, choice and how to evaluate the outcomes of major strategic choices. I’ve found the best way to do this is through close examination of a case, not the abstract. We’ll read plenty of policy analysis, but we’ll also read speeches and public statements by public officials, as well as works of contemporary fiction by Russian and Ukrainian authors. You can’t understand war without understanding its human element.   

Q: What skills and knowledge do you hope students gain from your class? 

Bick: I want students to come away from the class knowing more about the war in Ukraine, more about how policy is actually made, and more about the changing nature of the international system. The war in Ukraine is a human tragedy. It has also transformed security in Europe, forced a rethink of U.S. commitments around the world, renewed concerns about nuclear weapons, and offered a glimpse of how intelligence and emerging technologies will be used in the future. What does that mean for peace and security? These are some of the problems we will wrestle with together in the class.

     > Read our Fall 2023 profile of Professor Bick here.