Mikhail Troitskiy is an international affairs analyst in Moscow. Throughout his career, he has worked as a researcher, university professor and manager of training and research projects, as well as a program officer for a major international donor. His interests include negotiation theory and foreign policy analysis, arms control and conflicts in Eurasia. He is a co-author and co-editor, with Fen Osler Hampson, of "Tug of War: Negotiating Security in Eurasia".

With Mikhail, we discuss the following points:

• Genesis of the conflict – when and how did the conflict between Russia and Ukraine really start?

• Interests - what in your opinion are the interests of the fighting parties?

• Was this war avoidable? What should have happened, but it didn’t or shouldn’t have happened, but it did? Is there anything anyone could have done to prevent it?

• The events prior to and on February 24. Especially, whether a military conflict was expected in Russia and whether the tension was detectable?

• Why have negotiations have failed to prevent and resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine so far?

• What might be the next chapter of the Russian-Ukrainian. Where is this conflict heading?

• What needs to happen for the parties to resume their negotiations? Can this conflict be solved?

• Many people around the world are currently thinking how credible are Putin’s and Medvedev’s nuclear threats? Are we heading towards a nuclear conflict?

• What have we learned from Russian-Ukrainian conflict so far? As international relation scientists, as negotiation professionals and as mankind?

Mihhail shares also who he considers great negotiators and what we can learn from them.