The State of the (European) Union

Just before he leaves for Europe, please join us for a conversation about what President Obama must accomplish while in Brussels (and at the first U.S. and EU summit since 2011) to ensure transatlantic unity in light of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine; to limit the damage caused by the NSA revelations; and to continue to push for progress in transatlantic trade negotiations -- all on the eve of critical European Parliamentary elections. Three leading journalists will discuss U.S. and European perspectives.

A second panel will analyze the broader challenges confronting the European Union and the euro, and the high stakes involved for the United States. Panelists will draw on in-depth discussions about the future of the European integration project that took place in Williamsburg, VA, as part of the Williamsburg-CSIS Global Forum, a global partnership between CSIS, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the College of William & Mary, launched in 2013.

9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Panel I: President Obama's Trip to Europe: A Journalist Roundtable Discussion

Featuring:

Mr. Roger Cohen
Columnist, New York Times

Dr. Josef Joffe
Publisher/Editor, Die Zeit

Mr. Gideon Rachman
Chief Foreign Affairs Columnist, Financial Times

Moderated by:

Ms. Heather A. Conley Director and Senior Fellow, CSIS Europe Program

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Panel II: The State of the European Union: The Crisis in Ukraine, Europes Integration Prospects and the Impact of the Upcoming European Parliament Elections Considered

Featuring:

Ambassador John Kornblum
Former US Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs, and Former US Ambassador to Germany and the OSCE

Mr. Francois Heisbourg
Chairman of the Board, Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique

Ms. Ulrike Guérot
Senior Associate for Germany, Open Society Initiative for Europe

Moderated by:

Ms. Heather A. Conley
Director and Senior Fellow, CSIS Europe Program