On September 4, the Northeast Asian History Foundation held a Wednesday Forum, inviting Professor Kyung Deok Roh from Seoul National University. At the forum, Professor Roh gave a presentation titled "Rethinking the Origins of the Russia-Ukraine War." The presentation focused on reinterpreting Russia's war objectives and the geopolitical background, and based on this, provided prospects for the possibility of the war's end.

Professor Roh first explained Russia's theory of restructuring the world order, mentioning the weakening of U.S. hegemony and the emergence of a multipolar order. He emphasized that the war signals the beginning of changes in international politics and pointed out that the discussion could extend to East Asia, particularly highlighting the possibility of China's invasion of Taiwan. He also discussed the objectives of the Putin administration in the war, covering the strengthening of militarism following events such as the 2014 Euromaidan in Ukraine, the annexation of Crimea, and support for separatists in Donbas.

Lastly, Professor Roh stressed that Russia's war goal is not the occupation of all of Ukraine or a complete restructuring of the world order but rather limited objectives, such as securing a corridor to Crimea. He suggested that if these objectives are achieved, the likelihood of the war ending could increase and cautioned against over-interpreting the war.

This presentation offered a fresh perspective on the Russia-Ukraine war and helped lay an important foundation for future discussions on ending the conflict.