Lectures - Event View

The registration will open on January 6th, 2026
Systemic Corruption in Russia and War in Ukraine

Matthew Murray
Human rights lawyer, civil society activist and founder of an anti-corruption NGO in Russia. He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Europe, the Middle East and Africa and a Senior Advisor on Rule of Law and Governance at USAID during the Obama-Biden Administration.

Wednesday, January 21, 2026
1:00- 2:00pm

The New York City Bar Association
42 West 44th Street
New York City
Also available on Zoom


EVENT SPONSOR
Seward & Kissel
A leading New York-based international law firm assisting the financial industry and business clients with transactions, raising capital and related disputes.


About the Topic
Russia’s decision to attack the sovereign nation of Ukraine and start a full-scale war in the middle of Europe in the 21st century was caused in part by a systemic level of corruption that drives Russia towards aggression -- against Ukraine, against the international liberal rules-based order, and against democracy itself. Matthew Murray will discuss how Russia’s February 2022 decision can be traced directly to Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity in 2014; and how Russian President Putin aimed in part to divert attention from Russia’s failure to modernize economically and politically. 

Murray will also discuss how since the Revolution of Dignity, Ukraine has been steadily building a new institutional architecture to counter corruption at home. Faced with Russia’s determination to destroy Ukraine as a state and as a nation, Ukrainians could be tempted to delay the fight corruption in order to first defeat Russia. But this is a false choice. From the 2014 Revolution of Dignity to the full-scale Russian invasion of 2022, Ukrainians have been battling not only to defend their land, but to build a country that belongs to its citizens rather than oligarchs and autocrats. The fight against Russia and the fight against corruption are two fronts of the same war. 

About the Speaker
Mr. Murray is currently an Adjunct Professor at the Columbia University School of International & Public Affairs and Harriman Institute; and co-founder of a Columbia Forum that convenes U.S. government experts, practitioners and academics to Innovate Solutions to Systemic Corruption. He provides project advisory support to the U.S. State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development and international donors, specializing in helping partner countries in political transition to design institutions, policies, laws and programs to detect and prevent corruption.


Event Prices
Patron Member: No Fee
Young Patron Member: No Fee
Regular Member: No Fee
Non-Resident Member: No Fee
Guest of a Member: $35
Non-member: $35