Transatlantic Defense in an Era of Strategic Competition
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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
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
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
Panel II: Defending the Euro-Atlantic Region
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
Daniel Fiott
Head, Defence & Statecraft Programme, CSDS, Brussels School of Governance-VUB
Max Bergmann
Director, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and Stuart Center, CSIS
Hosted By
Sissy Martinez
Jessica Cox
Contact
- Sissy Martinez
- Former Associate Fellow and Associate Director, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program
- SMartinez@csis.org
- Otto Svendsen
- Associate Fellow, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program
- osvendsen@csis.org
- Paige Montfort
- Associate Director for Corporate Relations, Strategic Planning
- 202.775.3173
- pmontfort@csis.org