Many knew Putin wasn't bluffing, but not how far he'd go, says International Crisis Group’s Comfort Ero

‘The world must do better at anticipating conflicts | Global Stage | GZERO Media

People rightfully focus on conflict prevention and deterrence, but global policy lagged behind when it came to preparing for the Russian invasion.

“What surprises me is that no actor says they’re surprised by what happened. You ask yourself, what about the steps that ought to have been taken?” says Comfort Ero, president and CEO of the International Crisis Group, during a Global Stage livestream conversation hosted by GZERO in partnership with Microsoft at the Munich Security Conference.

Some argue that the original sin was perhaps not dealing with the crises in Georgia and Crimea, she adds. Moving forward, she says, NATO and the West must focus on having anticipatory policies that prevent military aggression.

Watch the full Global Stage livestream conversation “Live from Munich: Ukraine and the Global Turning Point.”

More from GZERO Media

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani receives Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Doha, Qatar, earlier this month. Qatar and Saudi Arabia have now jointly agreed to pay off Syria's World Bank debt.
Amiri Diwan/Handout via REUTERS

The country's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa faces a tricky tradeoff when it comes to securing the country.

US President Donald Trump returns to the White House from his New Jersey golf club to Washington, DC, on April 27, 2024.

Sipa USA via Reuters Connect

With a cohesive team in the White House, Republican control of Congress, and a disoriented Democratic opposition, Donald Trump has pushed ahead rapidly on many fronts since inauguration. But opinion polls in recent weeks have shown a sharp decline in public support for the president, and the courts, financial markets, and other institutions have started curbing his actions. We asked Eurasia Group experts Clayton Allen and Noah Daponte-Smith where things are likely to go from here.

Rescuers search for a 17-year-old and his parents near an apartment building hit by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, on April 24, 2025.
REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that this week is “very critical” for Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Ukraine. Russia’s Vladimir Putin made news on Monday by offering a three-day ceasefire beginning on May 8, a move perhaps motivated by skeptical recent comments from Trump on Russia’s willingness to bargain in good faith.

- YouTube

On GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, two authors—Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen and historian Mai Elliottwith deeply personal ties to the Vietnam War, reflect on its lasting global impact and Vietnam's remarkable rise 50 years later.