APSU’s Dr. Rich Mifsud delivers major international lecture on California-Ukraine military cooperation
By: Institute for National Security and Military Studies June 4, 2025
Dr. Rich Mifsud, the director of APSU’s Institute for National Security and Military Studies, delivers a dynamic lecture on California-Ukraine military cooperation at the Institute of International Politics and Economics in Belgrade. | Contributed photo
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Dr. Rich Mifsud, the director of APSU’s Institute for National Security and Military Studies (INSMS), recently delivered a featured lecture titled “Cooperation between the California National Guard and the Ukrainian Military” at the Institute of International Politics and Economics (IIPE) in Belgrade, Serbia.
The lecture highlights APSU’s growing transatlantic academic footprint, particularly through its strategic partnership with IIPE - one of Europe’s most influential foreign policy institutes.
“Our partnership with IIPE enables APSU faculty to engage with real-world challenges in security cooperation, strategy, and diplomacy,” Mifsud said. “These engagements advance both research and policy, while showcasing the intellectual leadership emerging from Tennessee.”
The event drew an engaged and diverse audience that included representatives from the Serbian press, faculty from academic institutions such as Union University - Nikola Tesla, and members of the U.S. Embassy Belgrade’s Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC - Belgrade), reflecting the lecture’s relevance at the intersection of academic research, policy, and regional diplomacy.
From left: IIPE Director Dr. Branislav Đorđević, IIPE Senior Researcher Dr. Vladimir Trapara, Dr. Mifsud, APSU Assistant Professor of National Security Studies Dr. Rudy B. Baker, and ODC - Belgrade Chief Lt. Col. Daniel J. O’Connor. | Contributed photo
Drawing on his extensive background in security studies and his direct experience with multinational coordination in Ukraine, Mifsud traced the origins and evolution of the California-Ukraine State Partnership Program (SPP), launched in 1993 as part of a broader U.S. initiative to support post-Soviet defense reform and interoperability.
His lecture examined how this partnership laid the foundation for Ukraine’s long-term military resilience, particularly in the lead-up to and aftermath of Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion.
“The SPP framework provided more than training - it created enduring military-to-military ties, channels of trust, and institutional relationships that proved essential when war returned to Europe,” Mifsud said. “Ukraine’s ability to adapt, reform, and endure owes much to decades of steady, targeted cooperation.”
Using detailed case studies from joint field exercises, air defense initiatives, and doctrinal reform, Mifsud highlighted the critical role of the Multi-National Joint Commission (MJC), U.S. Army advisory missions, and California National Guard (CNG) liaison teams in modernizing Ukraine’s command structure and professional military education.
He also noted how the CNG’s real-time intelligence-sharing with the Pentagon during the early days of the 2022 invasion helped accelerate critical aid delivery.
This event marked another high-level academic exchange between APSU and IIPE, building on the institutions’ established cooperation through joint conferences, publications, and research initiatives. Additional joint activities between APSU and IIPE are already scheduled for late 2025 and 2026.
Dr. Rudy B. Baker, Assistant Professor of National Security Studies at APSU, praised the opportunity and its broader implications:
“This was a prestigious invitation from one of Europe’s most influential foreign policy institutes,” said Dr. Rudy B. Baker, assistant professor of national security studies at APSU. “For IIPE to host Dr. Mifsud as a featured speaker reflects not only the strength of our partnership, but the growing international recognition of APSU’s faculty expertise in security and defense affairs.”
About the Institute for National Security and Military Studies
APSU’s Institute for National Security and Military Studies is the first center of its kind in the southeastern United States and is supported by the Tennessee legislature. The institute continues to build global partnerships that expand the university’s research reach and prepare students for careers in national and international security.
About the Institute of International Politics and Economics
Founded in 1947, the Institute of International Politics and Economics (IIPE) is Serbia’s leading research institute in the fields of diplomacy, international relations, and defense policy. It serves as the primary policy and research arm of the Serbian Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense.
APSU’s partnership with IIPE has rapidly developed into a model of cross-institutional cooperation, encompassing joint conferences, co-edited publications, faculty exchanges, student exchanges, and collaborative grant development - further solidifying APSU’s role in international academic and strategic dialogue.
For more information on APSU’s global defense partnerships and upcoming public lectures, visit apsu.edu/insms/.