Dr. Kelly O'Neill sits down with Anastasiia Pereverten and Markus Vaher to learn more about the cascading effects of the war waged in the Black Sea that is reshaping the way we think about regionalism and international law.
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About our Guests
Anastasiia Pereverten, originally from Kyiv, Ukraine, graduated from the University of Wyoming with a major in international studies, with a focus on European and post-Soviet countries. Before embarking on her studies in the U.S., she worked as a curator and project manager in Ukrainian cultural institutions, specializing in art and educational initiatives. After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she began actively advocating for Ukraine and its culture on campus, developing a series of seminars called “Lessons from Ukraine”, organizing rallies and lectures, and liaising with U.S. media outlets. Anastasiia served as a legislative aide in the Wyoming State Legislature and held a research assistantship at New Lines Institute, a DC-based foreign policy think tank. Her current academic and professional interests center on U.S. foreign policy toward Eastern Europe and Ukrainian diplomacy.
Markus Vaher is researching anti-authoritarian and anti-war resistance in Russia and Belarus. He is intrigued by dissident literature and the recent history of democratization in Eastern Europe. Originally from Estonia, he also takes an interest in the national security of the Baltic states. Prior to entering the REECA Program, Markus worked as a research assistant on a team at the University of Chicago, investigating anti-war sabotage in Russia. He completed his mandatory military service in the Estonian Navy in June 2024.