With the world watching the Russia-Ukraine border for a possible invasion from Russia, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst is urging the Biden Administration and NATO to support Ukraine with weapons and military forces.

According to Camden Conference, in a news release, Ambassador Herbst, who will be among the speakers at this year's Camden Conference, to be held February 25 -27, told NPR's Morning Edition on January 24 that if Russian president Vladimir Putin understands that there will be a "major Western reaction to his aggression" the chances of a Russian invasion "will be way down." Ambassador Herbst, currently senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, said the West should threaten Putin with "huge sanctions" and "permanent basing of NATO forces right up against his border."

The 2022 Camden Conference will focus on Europe: Challenged at Home and Abroad. Herbst will join nine other world experts who will discuss a range of European challenges, not only threats from Russia but also the rise of populism, shifting economic forces, the effects of climate change, the U.S–European relationship and other related.

Herbst served as U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine from 2003 to 2006, and worked to insure the conduct of a fair Ukrainian presidential election and to prevent violence during the Orange Revolution. As ambassador to Uzbekistan (2000-2003) he led efforts to encourage the Uzbek government to improve its human rights record.

“The annual Camden Conference has attracted large audiences from Maine and more than 25 other states and is considered one of the top foreign affairs conferences in the United States,” said the Conference.

In 2021, and again this year, the realities of the Covid pandemic have required a pivot to virtual-only conferences in a live-streaming format that allows audience interaction (Q&A) with speakers, in keeping with the Camden Conference mission of fostering informed discourse on world issues.

“Citizen participation is a hallmark of the Conference, and participants include an informed public as well as high school and college educators and students,” said the Conference.

The moderator of this year’s Camden Conference is David Brancaccio, host of American Public Media's Marketplace Morning Report. Once again, in lieu of gathering in one location, 10 speakers will participate, live, from wherever they are living or working around the globe.

For more information on the 35th Anniversary Camden Conference: Europe: Challenged at Home and Abroad, February 25-27, 2022, and to register, please visit the website camdenconference.org.