Transatlantic Security and Defense

U.S. President Donald Trump’s return to the White House has already had far-reaching — and in many respects, destabilizing — consequences for the U.S., Europe and beyond. Four months into his presidency, it has become painfully clear: Europe must urgently and cohesively strengthen its defense capabilities to assert itself politically and militarily. Only through closer cooperation — within Europe and with key international partners – can peace, freedom, and security from Lisbon to Luhansk be restored and safeguarded.

Our Breakfast Debate will convene distinguished experts and policymakers from Europe, the U.S., and beyond to explore practical, forward-thinking strategies for a more resilient European defense framework and the future of the transatlantic security and defense partnership. We are particularly excited to announce that Philip H. Gordon, Sydney Stein, Jr. Scholar, Brookings Institution; former National Security Advisor to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs under President Obama, will be joining us as a keynote speaker, as well as MP Agnieszka Brugger, Vice Chairperson of Alliance 90/The Greens Parliamentary Group. Following the keynotes, selected policymakers and experts will offer brief remarks, including:

• MP Sara Nanni, Spokesperson for Security Policy, Alliance 90/The Greens
• MEP Sergey Lagodinsky, Vice Chair of the Greens/EFA Group, Chair of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly
• MP Robert Habeck, Alliance 90/The Greens, former Vice-Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
• Agnieszka Bryc, Assistant Professor, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń
• Justyna Gotkowska, Deputy Director and Head of the Security and Defence Department, Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW), Warsaw
• Julia Kazdobina, Head, Ukrainian Foundation for Security Studies / Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism”
• Péter Krekó, Executive Director, Political Capital, Budapest
• Alice Stollmeyer, Executive Director, Defend Democracy, Brussels 

Subsequently, you will have the opportunity to join our general Q&A session, where we will address pressing questions such as:

• How can Europe and its partners navigate current and future tensions with the U.S.? Where do shared defense and security interests persist — and how can they be preserved or leveraged? What are visions for a new progressive, future-oriented transatlantic dialogue on defense and security?
• In light of the U.S. pivot away from Europe, what immediate and longer-term strategies and investments must be prioritized to significantly strengthen the defense capabilities of Ukraine and Europe?
• How can (European) democracies enhance their resilience against authoritarian threats — external and internal? How can the EU and its partners respond to hybrid threats more effectively? 

We look forward to your ideas and visions on progressive approaches to strengthening transatlantic defense and security cooperation, and to safeguarding and restoring peace, freedom and security in Europe and beyond.

Agenda

08:00 - 08:30 a.m.  Registration & Breakfast

08:30 - 09:10 a.m.  Welcome and Keynotes

09:10 - 10:30 a.m.  Debate and Q&A on Transatlantic Security and Defense

Kindly note that the Breakfast Debate is by invitation only. It will be held in English under the Chatham House Rule.

We would be honored to have you with us, and look forward to an engaging, productive and inspiring discussion. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Contact: 
Philipp Straub
Project Officer Foreign and Security Policy Division
E straub@boell.de

Your Participation in the event

» Participation on site
at the the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Conference Center, Schumannstr. 8, 10117 Berlin

Please register in advance. Unfortunately, the number of seats for this event are limited.

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