Toward a Europe Whole and Free

Agenda

April 29-30, 2014

This year marks multiple anniversaries of crucial importance to the transatlantic community, including the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the 15th anniversary of NATO’s first post-Cold War enlargement, and the 10th anniversary of the “big bang” enlargements of both the European Union and NATO. The Council’s conference aims to showcase Europe’s transformation validating these historic decisions, facilitate discussions on how membership in NATO and the EU has positioned the region for the future, and address the remaining challenges of achieving a Europe whole and free.

If you have any questions regarding the conference, please contact the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security at ScowcroftCenter@AtlanticCouncil.org.
Click on any session name below to view the summary, video, and photos from the session.

Tuesday, April 29

8:30-9:00 a.m. | Registration and Breakfast

9:00-9:05 a.m. | Welcome and Opening Remarks

9:05-9:15 a.m. | Outlining the Challenge

  • H.E. Tomáš Valášek, Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to NATO, NATO | @valasekt
  • Damon Wilson, Executive Vice President, Atlantic Council | @DamonMacWilson
 

9:15-10:30 a.m. | History Relived: Europe’s Story

  • Robert Kagan, Senior Fellow, Project on International Order and Strategy, Brookings
  • Frederick Kempe, President and CEO, Atlantic Council; Author of Berlin 1961 | @FredKempe
  • Alexandr Vondra, Former Minister of Defense of the Czech Republic, Co-founder of the Civic Forum
  • Moderator: David Ensor, Director, Voice of America
 

10:30-10:50 a.m. | Coffee Break

10:50-11:45 a.m. | Keynote Conversation: The Eastern Edge of a Europe Whole and Free

  • Zbigniew Brzezinski, Counselor and Trustee, CSIS; Former National Security Advisor | @zbig
  • Moderator: Edward Luce, Washington Columnist and Commentator, The Financial Times | @EdwardGLuce

 

11:45-12:45 p.m. | Lunch Break
12:45-1:30 p.m. | The Role of the United States: A European Power (Updated Time)

  • John McCain, United States Senator (R-AZ), US Senate | @SenJohnMcCain
  • Christopher Murphy, United States Senator (D-CT), US Senate | @ChrisMurphyCT
  • Moderator: Jim Sciutto, Chief National Security Correspondent, CNN | @jimsciutto

1:30-2:00 p.m. | Keynote Remarks by Secretary of State John Kerry

2:00-3:15 p.m. | Consolidating Europe’s South

  • H.E. Ditmir Bushati, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Albania | @ditmirbushati 
  • H.E. Igor Lukšić, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Montenegro
  • H.E. Nikola Poposki, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Macedonia | @NikolaPoposki 
  • H.E. Kristian Vigenin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria
  • Moderator: Ian Brzezinski, Senior Fellow, Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security, Atlantic Council | @IanBrzezinski 

3:15-3:30 p.m. | Coffee Break

3:30-4:45 p.m. | Defining a Strategy for Europe’s East

  • Opening Comments: H.E. Laimdota Straujuma, Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia | @Straujuma
  • Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, Former Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland 
  • H.E. Titus Corlăţean, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania
  • H.E. Linas Linkevičius, Minister Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania 
  • Karen Donfried, President, German Marshall Fund of the United States; Former Senior Director for European Affairs, National Security Council
  • Jean-Paul Paloméros, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, NATO Allied Command Transformation
  • Moderator: Damon Wilson, Executive Vice President, Atlantic Council | @DamonMacWilson

 

4:45-5:00 p.m. | Break
5:00-6:00 p.m. | Origins of a Europe Whole and Free

  • Brent Scowcroft, Chairman, International Advisory Board, Atlantic Council; Former National Security Advisor   
  • Horst Teltschik, Former German National Security Advisor 
  • H.E. Frans Timmermans, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
  • Moderator: Jim Hoagland, Contributing Editor, The Washington Post

6:00-6:15 p.m. | Conclusion and Introduction of Transatlantic Emerging Leaders

  • Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, NATO
  • James L. Jones, Chairman, Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security, Atlantic Council; Former National Security Advisor
  • Peter Westmacott, Ambassador, British Embassy to the United States

6:15-7:00 p.m. | Closing Reception

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

8:30-9:00 a.m | Registration and Breakfast

9:00-9:45 a.m. | Keynote Conversation: Testing Europe’s Unity

9:45-10:45 a.m. | The Struggle for Europe

  • Madeleine K. Albright, Chair, Albright Stonebridge Group; Board Director, Atlantic Council; Former United States Secretary of State | @madeleine
  • Stephen J. Hadley, Chairman, Board of Directors, United States Institute of Peace; Former National Security Advisor
  • R. Nicholas Burns, Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Politics, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University | @RNicholasBurns

10:45-11:00 a.m. | Coffee Break

11:00-12:15 p.m. | Defending the Vision

  • H.E. Irakli Alasania, Minister of Defense, Ministry of Defense of Georgia | @irakli_alasania 
  • H.E. Sven Mikser, Minister of Defense, Ministry of Defense of Estonia | @svenmikser
  • H.E. Milica Pejanović Đurišić, Minister of Defense, Ministry of Defense of Montenegro
  • H.E. Martin Stropnicky, Minister of Defense, Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic
  • The Hon. Alexander Vershbow, NATO Deputy Secretary General, NATO | @NATOdsg
  • Moderator: Barry Pavel, Vice President and Director, Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security, Atlantic Council | @BarryPavel

12:15-12:30 p.m. | Closing Remarks

 

12:30-2:00 p.m. | Networking Break

*Please note this agenda is subject to change


Special Feature

2:00-3:15 p.m. | Atlantic Council Captains of Industry Series: The Supply Chain for Peace and Prosperity

  • Introduction: Brent Scowcroft, Chairman, International Advisory Board, Atlantic Council; Former National Security Advisor
  • Thomas Enders, CEO, Airbus Group

The special tribute to NATO and the European Union will continue in the evening at the Atlantic Council 2014 Distinguished Leadership Awards dinner honoring President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso, US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Airbus Group CEO Thomas Enders, Ukrainian activist and singer Ruslana Lyzhychko, and ISAF Commander Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. on behalf of the men and women of ISAF and US Forces Afghanistan.

Europe & Eurasia