Behind Putin’s power is a steady flow of illegal funds. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the US and Europe have slapped numerous sanctions on Russian banks, officials, businesses, oligarchs and their families in an effort to flatten the Kremlin’s illicit financial flows. This week, host Elisa welcomes back Brian Egan of Skadden to discuss these crackdown efforts. How do kleptocrats acquire and hide their assets? And have these economic sanctions done enough to handicap Putin's war?

Brian Egan is partner at Skadden:

https://www.skadden.com/en/Professionals/E/Egan-Brian

(Part 2 of 2) – It’s the largest military conflict in Europe since World War II. And in just 4 weeks, Putin’s playbook has proven to grossly violate international law. This week, host Elisa is joined by Judge James Baker to breakdown the laws and treaties that apply to Russia and this conflict. Which international agreements are at play, and which have been violated? And as this conflict escalates, what options are on the table for NATO member states?

Hon. James E Baker is the Director of the Institute of Security Policy and Law at Syracuse University:

http://law.syr.edu/profile/the-hon.-james-e.-baker

References:

The Geneva Conventions:

https://www.icrc.org/en/doc/assets/files/publications/icrc-002-0173.pdf

The North Atlantic Treaty, Articles 5 & 11:

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/official_texts_17120.htm

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court:

https://legal.un.org/icc/statute/99_corr/cstatute.htm

United Nations General Assembly, Article 18:

https://legal.un.org/repertory/art18.shtml

National Security Act of 1947:

https://www.dni.gov/index.php/ic-legal-reference-book/national-security-act-of-1947

The Nuremberg Principles:

https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/ihl/INTRO/390

Title 18 U.S. Code 2441, War Crimes:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2441

Executive Order 901:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/901

Executive Order 12333:

https://dpcld.defense.gov/Portals/49/Documents/Civil/eo-12333-2008.pdf

Department of Defense Law of War Manual:

https://dod.defense.gov/Portals/1/Documents/pubs/DoD%20Law%20of%20War%20Manual%20-%20June%202015%20Updated%20Dec%202016.pdf?ver=2016-12-13-172036-190

James E. Baker, “Obedience to Orders, Lawful Orders, and the Military’s Constitutional Compact.” Just Security. November 2, 2020:

https://www.justsecurity.org/73221/good-governance-paper-no-21-obedience-to-orders-lawful-orders-and-the-militarys-constitutional-compact/

“Biden call Putin a war criminal.” NPR. March 16, 2022:

https://www.npr.org/2022/03/16/1087011897/biden-putin-war-criminal

“U.S must harden its cybersecurity defenses, experts say.” ABA Press and ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security. Feb. 2022:

https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2022/03/us-must-harden-its-cybersecurity-defenses/

“Statement of ABA President Reginald Turner Re: Invasion of Ukraine.” ABA. March 2, 2022z:

https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2022/02/statement-of-aba-president-reginald-turner-re-invasion-of-ukraine/

It’s the largest military conflict in Europe since World War II. And in just 3 weeks, Putin’s playbook has proven to grossly violate international law. This week, host Elisa is joined by Judge James Baker to breakdown the laws and treaties that apply to Russia and this conflict. Which international agreements are at play, and which have been violated? And as this conflict escalates, what options are on the table for NATO member states?

Hon. James E Baker is the Director of the Institute of Security Policy and Law at Syracuse University:

http://law.syr.edu/profile/the-hon.-james-e.-baker

References:

The Geneva Conventions:

https://www.icrc.org/en/doc/assets/files/publications/icrc-002-0173.pdf

The North Atlantic Treaty, Articles 5 & 11:

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/official_texts_17120.htm

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court:

https://legal.un.org/icc/statute/99_corr/cstatute.htm

United Nations General Assembly, Article 18:

https://legal.un.org/repertory/art18.shtml

National Security Act of 1947:

https://www.dni.gov/index.php/ic-legal-reference-book/national-security-act-of-1947

James E. Baker, “Obedience to Orders, Lawful Orders, and the Military’s Constitutional Compact.” Just Security. November 2, 2020:

https://www.justsecurity.org/73221/good-governance-paper-no-21-obedience-to-orders-lawful-orders-and-the-militarys-constitutional-compact/

“Biden call Putin a war criminal.” NPR. March 16, 2022:

https://www.npr.org/2022/03/16/1087011897/biden-putin-war-criminal

“U.S must harden its cybersecurity defenses, experts say.” ABA Press and ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security. Feb. 2022:

https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2022/03/us-must-harden-its-cybersecurity-defenses/

“Statement of ABA President Reginald Turner Re: Invasion of Ukraine.” ABA. March 2, 2022z:

https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2022/02/statement-of-aba-president-reginald-turner-re-invasion-of-ukraine/

(Part 2 of 2) - As the world watches the evolving situation in Ukraine, many experts question the mindset and stability of Vladimir Putin. Are his tactics pure madness, or is this a more calculated strategy than we realize? This week host Elisa is joined by former CIA official Robert Dannenberg to dissect Putin’s history, current behaviors, and future intentions. What is Putin thinking and what is his endgame?

Robert Dannenberg worked in the Central Intelligence Agency for 24 years, including as Chief of Operations for the Counter Terrorism Center, Chief of the Central Eurasia Division and Chief of the CIA’s Information Operations Center. He then served as the head of the Office of Global Security for Goldman Sachs:

www.susandavis.com/robert-dannenberg/

References:

Rob Dannenberg, “With His Only Option Being Escalation, this is How Putin’s War Must End” The Cipher Brief. March 7, 2022:

https://www.thecipherbrief.com/with-his-only-option-being-escalation-this-is-how-putins-war-must-end

Russian President Putin Statement on Ukraine. C-SPAN. February 21, 2022:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?518097-2/russian-president-putin-recognizes-independence-donetsk-luhansk-ukraines-donbas-region

The Ezra Klein Show, “Fiona Hill on the War Putin is Really Fighting.” The New York Times. March 8, 2022:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/08/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-fiona-hill.html

OAO Alfa Bank v. Center for Public Integrity. September 2005:

https://casetext.com/case/oao-alfa-bank-v-center-for-public-integrity-2

Tom Burgis, “Kleptopia: How Dirty Money Is Conquering the World.” Harper Collins. September 8th, 2020:

https://www.harpercollins.com/products/kleptopia-tom-burgis?variant=32121952829474

Dominic Casciani, “Journalist wins ‘kleptocract’ book High Court libel case.” BBC News. March 2nd, 2022:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-60595266

As the world watches the evolving situation in Ukraine, many experts question the mindset and stability of Vladimir Putin. Are his tactics pure madness, or is this a more calculated strategy than we realize? This week host Elisa is joined by former CIA official Robert Dannenberg to dissect Putin’s history, current behaviors, and future intentions. What is Putin thinking and what is his endgame?

Robert Dannenberg worked in the Central Intelligence Agency for 24 years, including as Chief of Operations for the Counter Terrorism Center, Chief of the Central Eurasia Division and Chief of the CIA’s Information Operations Center. He then served as the head of the Office of Global Security for Goldman Sachs:

https://www.susandavis.com/robert-dannenberg/

The deep ocean is the last great wilderness on Earth. Vast and largely unexplored, the CCZ alone covers 1.7 million square miles of abyssal plain. At its chilling depths you’ll find crushing pressure, zero sunlight, and a sweeping array of life living amongst some of the most coveted minerals on Earth. This week we bring you the hard science of the ocean floor. Host Elisa is joined by marine ecologist Alex Rogers to discuss the biodiversity of the CCZ and its role in our global ecosystem. How biodiverse is the deep ocean? Why is deep sea life so important for carbon sequestration? And with so much still unknown, what do we risk in exploiting the deep sea for its mineral resources?

Professor Alex David Rogers is the Science Director at Rev Ocean, and a Visiting Professor in the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S5WNy8jZOwmOr1k0wafnfrtOG9xo2iGd/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=115287310253365681610&rtpof=true&sd=true

With great power…come great batteries. While to some they may seem like a ubiquitous technology, the fact is that batteries may very well hold the key to our energy revolution and a new electrified economy. This week, host Elisa is joined by University of Michigan battery expert Greg Less to breakdown the battery production process and how this involves the seabed. What minerals are needed to build today’s batteries, and the potential batteries of the future? Who controls the bulk of the battery supply chain? And how do we better prepare ourselves for the shift away from traditional energy infrastructure?

Greg Less is the Technical Director at the University of Michigan Battery Lab:

https://nexus.engin.umich.edu/about-us/our-team/greg-less/

Over 95% of the world’s data travels along a network of roughly 430 subsea cables. These cables, at about the thickness of a garden hose, are responsible for powering our wireless world. What happens when these cables are in harm's way? In this week’s continuation of our seabed mining series, host Elisa sits down with Kent Bressie, undersea cable industry expert, to discuss the risks of seabed mining on our communications infrastructure. What laws protect subsea cables? And in what ways are these cables vulnerable to seabed mining?

Kent Bressie is a partner at Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis, and serves as the International Law Advisor to the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC):

https://www.hwglaw.com/team/kent-d-bressie/

If the Clarion Clipperton Zone is the next frontier for critical mineral mining, what share of the pie does the U.S. currently have? The answer may surprise you. This week, host Elisa is joined by two U.S. State Department officials, Greg O’Brien and Kate Gorove, to talk all things U.S. interests when it comes to the seabed. What laws and treaties govern the international seabed and CCZ? Are we members of the International Seabed Authority? And if not, how come?

Greg O’Brien is the Senior Oceans Policy Advisor in the Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs at the U.S. Department of State:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IMfhMbxurcKsgH6WV09wcFyW-UZw3WN6/view?usp=sharing

Kate Gorove is with the Office of the Legal Adviser for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs at the U.S. Department of State:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eKOC7-k_a04-cdGL30yV2EbwWeFKvJei/view?usp=sharing

References:

The International Seabed Authority:

https://www.isa.org.jm

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea:

https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea:

https://www.itlos.org/en/main/latest-news/

“Deep Seabed Hard Minerals Resources Act.” NOAA, 2002:

https://www.gc.noaa.gov/documents/gcil_dshmra_summary.pdf

“Regulations on Prospecting and Exploration for Polymetallic Nodules in the Area.” ISA, 2013:

https://isa.org.jm/files/files/documents/isba-19c-17_0.pdf

In our fourth installment of the seabed mining series, we loop back with Scott Segal, co-chair of the Policy Resolution Group at Bracewell LLP, for the second half of his perspective on seabed mining as a future source of critical minerals. As an industry professional, in Scott’s eyes the issue is a no-brainer; the global benefits of seabed mining are impressive, and, as he puts it, “No form of getting minerals is without any form of tradeoff.” Yet, co-hosts Elisa and Yvette ask him hard-hitting questions: What is The Mining Company’s end goal? Won’t this impact our subsea cable infrastructure? And is the value of the deep sea ecosystem, particularly for use in pharmaceuticals, being considered?

Scott Segal is the co-chair of the Policy Resolution Group at Bracewell LLP:

https://bracewell.com/people/scott-h-segal