Video On Demand

Transatlantic Defense in an Era of Strategic Competition

October 27, 2023 • 9:00 am – 1:00 pm EDT

The NATO Vilnius Summit in July 2023 took place in the context of war in Europe. Deterrence and collective defense were reaffirmed as the core objectives of the alliance, but leaders also underlined the growing importance of global geostrategic competition. Building on NATO’s Strategic Concept and looking to the next NATO Summit in the United States (US), where leaders will mark the alliance’s 75th anniversary, there remains a need to adapt NATO to an era of competition. As strategy evolves to meet the global challenge posed by China, NATO needs to develop ways of ensuring the wider defense of the Euro-Atlantic region in parallel to the threat posed by Russia in Europe.

In the context of the Transatlantic Defense in an Era of Strategic Competition (TIDE) project supported by NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division (PDD), the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS) and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) seek to reflect on the implementation of the NATO Strategic Concept. Building on the first TIDE event held in Brussels on 19 June 2023, the focus of this second event will be on gathering perspectives on how NATO can best adapt to an era of strategic rivalry and competition. With the support of NATO PDD, the partners will bring together leading experts and policy-makers in Washington to discuss the following questions:

1) What was the significance of the Vilnius Summit and what key areas of NATO policy continue to need sustained attention?

2) In addition to traditional defense and deterrence, how best can allies defense the Euro-Atlantic region in the face of growing global geostrategic competition?

3) Looking ahead to the 75th anniversary summit in the United States, what specific initiatives can the alliance develop to meet the challenge of a more competitive age?

This half-day conference will be held at CSIS HQ on Friday, October 27, 2023 from 9am-1pm. 

This event is made possible by the generous support of the Public Diplomacy Division of NATO (NATO PDD).

Agenda


Welcome Remarks

9:00 am

Max Bergmann

Director, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and the Stuart Center, CSIS

Daniel Fiott

Head, Defence & Statecraft Programme, CSDS, Brussels School of Governance-VUB

Panel I: NATO and Geostrategic Competition

9:10 am

Moderator:

Sissy Martinez

Researcher and Program Coordinator, Europe, Russia and Eurasia Program, CSIS

Speakers:

Robert G. Bell

Distinguished Fellow, CSDS, Brussels School of Governance-VUB

Kristine Berzina

Managing Director, Geostrategy North, German Marshall Fund of the US

Jessica Cox

Director, Nuclear Policy Directorate, NATO

Katherine Kjellström Elgin

Fellow, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments

Break

10:45 am

Panel II: Defending the Euro-Atlantic Region

11:15 am

Moderator

Daniel Fiott

Head, Defence & Statecraft Programme, CSDS, Brussels School of Governance-VUB

Speakers

Max Bergmann

Director, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and Stuart Center, CSIS

Justyna Gotkowska

Deputy Director, Centre for Eastern Studies, OSW

Alexander Mattelaer

Professor, CSDS, Brussels School of Governance-VUB and Senior Research Fellow, Egmont – Royal Institute for International Relations

Gesine Weber

Research Analyst and Fellow, German Marshall Fund of the United States

Closing Remarks

12:45 pm

Daniel Fiott

Head, Defence & Statecraft Programme, CSDS, Brussels School of Governance-VUB

Max Bergmann

Director, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and Stuart Center, CSIS

Image
Max Bergmann
Director, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and Stuart Center
Image
Sissy Martinez

Sissy Martinez

Former Associate Fellow and Associate Director, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program
Image
Daniel Fiott
Head of the Defence and Statecraft Programme, Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS) of the Brussels School of Governance
Image
Robert Bell
Distinguished Fellow, CSDS, Brussels School of Governance-VUB
Image
Kristine Berzina
Managing Director, Geostrategy North, German Marshall Fund of the US
Image
Jessica Cox

Jessica Cox

Director, Nuclear Policy Directorate at NATO
Image
alexander mattelaer
Professor, CSDS, Brussels School of Governance-VUB and Senior Research Fellow, Egmont-Royal Institute for International Relations
Image
Gesine Weber
Research Analyst and Fellow, German Marshall Fund of the US

Contact