As part of the collaboration with RAND Europe, Shalva Dzebisashvili, Head of the International Relations and Politics Program at the School of Social Sciences, held a public seminar on the topic: "NATO's Principle of Military Deterrence in Relation to Georgia and Ukraine."

The seminar addressed the political and military significance of the deterrence principle, its conceptual development, and an analysis of the lessons learned from the Cold War period. It also covered the challenges associated with the concept of deterrence in the context of NATO membership, candidate status, and especially the Membership Action Plan (MAP).

More specifically, according to Dzebisashvili, the Alliance's inability to provide more adequate deterrence for a country whose status has evolved from a mere partner to a membership candidate creates a kind of trap for NATO. Moreover, ironically as it may sound, the postponement or outright rejection of membership due to fears of escalation actually provokes the very kind of military escalation the Alliance seeks to prevent.