Rob Rabel

Emeritus Professor, VUW. Professorial Fellow, Centre for Strategic Studies. Visiting Professor, University of Warsaw. Proud alum of VUW & Duke!

[Rob Rabel @RobRabelVUW]

@davidcapie Doesn’t it look like a postcard every morning?

[David Capie @davidcapie]

Pleased to host the ambassadors of Ukraine and Poland and strategic comms expert Natalia Solieva this week for a discussion on Russian disinformation and hybrid warfare.

[Patryk Błaszczak @PatrykBlaszczak]

I truly enjoyed talking to Victoria University of Wellington students as the guest of the first Diplomatic Dialogue event this year, held in the framework of the Kitea Impact Programme.

We touched upon the reasons behind #Poland’s record-breaking economic growth in the past years, Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of #Ukraine, Moscow’s hybrid warfare operations in Europe, as well as the historic friendship and the strengthening modern-day cooperation between 🇵🇱 and 🇳🇿.

I was also glad to discover a dedicated fan of @R_Kubica among the participants and share some thoughts on working in the foreign service.

Thank you prof. @RobRabelVUW for expertly moderating the discussion and sharing your vast knowledge of Poland’s history and politics.

Victoria University of Wellington maintains bilateral student exchange agreements with @UniWarszawski and @SGHWarsaw. If you want to learn more about these opportunities come and meet the Polish Embassy team next Wednesday during the Exchange Fair 2026!

[Rob Rabel @RobRabelVUW]

@NZinWarsaw @MFATNZ @VasylBodnar @AmbVasyl @IgorBrusylo @MFA_Ukraine Heartening to see the NZ government’s announcement of more aid for Ukraine on the sombre anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

[Rob Rabel @RobRabelVUW]

@davidcapie Ever the master of understatement. Canada is not just lucky. It’s won the lottery!

[Vasyl Myroshnychenko @AmbVasyl]

I recently sat down with Prof. @RobRabelVUW for an in-depth discussion on Russia’s war against Ukraine, the ongoing peace talks, and how Russia—as a Pacific country—can undermine security in the Indo-Pacific by creating a dangerous precedent of being rewarded for aggression.

The event was hosted by the @NZIIA_Wgtn and the Centre for Strategic Studies at @VicUniWgtn You can watch the discussion here:

https://t.co/0z01Yn7CSB

[Rob Rabel @RobRabelVUW]

@davidcapie You are a master of understatement, Dear Leader!

[David Capie @davidcapie]

Great to celebrate fifty years of ⁦@NZIIA_live⁩ New Zealand International Review tonight in Wellington. Congratulations to long-time editor Ian McGibbon and everyone else who has contributed to its production over the last five decades.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

Poland’s Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski is asked why it is that the Polish public accepts that the country spends nearly 5% of its GDP on the military:

“We would rather eat grass than become a Russian colony again”

[David Capie @davidcapie]

The struggle for democracy in Belarus » ⁦@CSS_VUW⁩ is delighted to co-host with ⁦@NZIIA_live⁩ the courageous and eloquent Belarusian Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. She will be speaking in Wellington on 3 November. Details below. https://t.co/cg7Yc23MUJ

[David Capie @davidcapie]

Chinese diplomats pressured university over Taiwan event - Newsroom https://t.co/ECqYktavG0

[Rob Rabel @RobRabelVUW]

@davidcapie Excellent to see. Our Warsaw-based NZ Ambassador to Ukraine, Paul Ballantyne, also accompanied them.

[Rob Rabel @RobRabelVUW]

@NZinWarsaw @AmbVasyl Heartening to see this fine gesture of NZ support for Ukraine, Paul!

[Rob Rabel @RobRabelVUW]

@NZinWarsaw Great to see that, Paul. I was at the Memorial later in the day at 17:00 for the 81st anniversary of Godzina W and to reflect on the bravery of my father and the thousands of other brave Poles who rose up on that day in 1944.

[Rob Rabel @RobRabelVUW]

@ZbigGniat @iga_swiatek Amazing how much power Poles can derive from pasta alla truskawka. 😊

[Rob Rabel @RobRabelVUW]

@NZinWarsaw @Wimbledon Amazing what pasta alla truskawka can do. 😊

[Paul Ballantyne @NZinWarsaw]

Wonderful to see 🇳🇿’s Victoria University of Wellington and 🇵🇱’s University of Warsaw partner in support of displaced Ukrainian scholars.

Thanks @RobRabelVUW for such a valuable initiative!

@AmbVasyl @VasylBodnar @PatrykBlaszczak @UniWarszawski @pawelkowalpl

https://t.co/tl1DClsIgB

[Rob Rabel @RobRabelVUW]

@NZinWarsaw @AmbVasyl @VasylBodnar @PatrykBlaszczak @UniWarszawski @pawelkowalpl Thanks for publicising this joint New Zealand-Polish academic initiative, Paul! Both universities and the donors to the fellowship are proud to have supported displaced Ukrainian scholars.

[New Zealand Institute of International Affairs @NZIIA_live]

What does a second Trump presidency mean for global stability, US foreign policy, the Pacific region and New Zealand's international relationships? Moderated by Emeritus Professor Roberto Rabel @robrabelvuw.

[Rob Rabel @RobRabelVUW]

Pleased to have an article on Global South and Western divergence on Russia’s war against Ukraine in the latest issue of International Affairs:

https://t.co/9IxTwfH9Rc