Please join the Atlantic Council, NATO Allied Command Transformation, and the University of Texas for a public event: “NATO and the Future of American Security.” This event will take place on Tuesday, February 6, at 10:00 a.m. CST / 11:00 a.m. EST at the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center on the campus of the University of Texas.
Today’s global security landscape is the most volatile and contested it has been since the end of the Cold War. Russia’s war of aggression rages in Ukraine while allied weapons stockpiles run dangerously low. China is increasingly combative on the world stage, fortifying Beijing’s military posture in the Indo-Pacific and accelerating influence operations to undermine democratic challengers. Other volatile conflicts – highlighted by Hamas’ recent terrorist attack and Israel’s intense response – routinely dominate headlines. Moreover, mass migration and economic disruption further destabilize our geopolitical environment. How the United States chooses to ally with international partners will be critical to its security and global standing in the twenty-first century, and NATO will remain the absolutely indispensable alliance.
As NATO looks ahead to the historic Summit taking place in Washington this July, the Alliance must stay unified in support of its democratic values, sharpen its warfighting edge, and develop new tools and mechanisms for emerging challenges on the horizon. That will require political support for NATO from across the United States, and especially Texas, home to the most recent US Ambassador to NATO. In Texas, local military units routinely bolster NATO’s readiness posture in Europe; local defense industries are ramping up production of military equipment; and local practitioners, scholars, and journalists are actively shaping NATO’s policy agenda.
Against this backdrop, the Atlantic Council, NATO ACT, and the University of Texas’ Center for European Studies, Strauss Center for International Security and Law, and Clements Center for National Security will convene a public conference of NATO officials, former policymakers, and scholars engaging in a critical discussion about the role of the transatlantic alliance and its enduring value for Texans.
This event is part of the Transatlantic Security Initiative’s 2024 NATO Washington Summit Campaign. Follow the conversation with @AtlanticCouncil, @ACScowcroft, @NATO_ACT, and @UTAustin using the hashtag #StrongerWithAllies.
9:30 a.m. Check in and Coffee
10:00 a.m. Call to Order
Featuring:
Mr. Jujhar Singh, Senior, International Relations and Global Studies, The University of Texas at Austin
10:05 a.m. Word of Welcome
Featuring:
Mr. Robert Chesney, Dean, University of Texas Law School, Honorable James A. Baker III Chair in the Rule of Law and World Affairs
10:15 a.m. Keynote Address
Featuring:
Gen. Philippe Lavigne, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, NATO Allied Command Transformation
10:45 a.m. Panel | Securing NATO’s Future: The Challenges of a New Era
Today’s global security landscape is the most volatile and contested it has been since the end of the Cold War. As NATO looks ahead to the historic Summit taking place in Washington in July, the Alliance must stay unified in support of its democratic values while sharpening its warfighting edge to prepare for challenges on the horizon. Where is NATO succeeding in building on 75 years of success to transform for the coming era? Where is it falling short and what more will be needed to ensure the Alliance is prepared to tackle the demands of an era marked by global challenge?
Featuring:
Amb. Audra Plepytė, Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania to the United States
Gen. (Ret.) Robert Neller, Former Commandant, US Marine Corps; Distinguished National Security Fellow, Clements Center for National Security
Amb. Kevin Rex, Former Ambassador of Canada to Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania
Dr. Vlasta Zekulic, Head, Strategic Issues and Engagements, NATO Allied Command Transformation
Mr. Christopher Skaluba, Director, Transatlantic Security Initiative, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, Atlantic Council
Moderated by:
Dr. Michael Mosser, Associate Professor of Instruction, Department of International Relations and Global Studies; Executive Director, Global Disinformation Lab; Assistant Director, Center for European Studies, The University of Texas at Austin
12:00 p.m. Networking Lunch
12:45 p.m. Word from Brussels
Featuring:
ASG Marie Doha Besancenot, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy
1:00 p.m. Panel | North America and NATO: Fostering Political and Policy Dialogue
As the Alliance prepares to meet tomorrow’s challenges, it will require support for NATO from across the United States and Canada, not just in Washington, DC and Ottawa. From across Canada and the US, including in Texas, home to the last US Ambassador to NATO, military units are bolstering NATO’s force posture in the European theater, local defense industry is ramping up production of military equipment, and academics, experts, and journalists are setting NATO’s policy agenda. To maintain support in North America, how may NATO best engage the local communities who make these contributions? How supportive or critical are Texans and Canadians of the work that NATO does?
Featuring:
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Christine Whitecross, Former Commandant, NATO Defense College
Dr. Valbona Zeneli, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Transatlantic Security Initiative, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, Atlantic Council
Mr. Adam Klein, Director, Strauss Center for International Security and Law; Senior Lecturer, University of Texas School of Law
Mr. Leo Michel, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Transatlantic Security Initiative, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, Atlantic Council
Moderated by:
Mr. Sewell Chan, Editor in Chief, Texas Tribune
2:30 p.m. Keynote Address
Featuring:
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, former US Ambassador to NATO; former US Senator for Texas; Board Member, Atlantic Council
2:55 p.m. Concluding Remarks
Featuring:
Mr. Christopher Skaluba, Director, Transatlantic Security Initiative, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, Atlantic Council
3:00 p.m. Program Close
The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security works to develop sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and its allies and partners. The Center honors General Brent Scowcroft’s legacy of service and embodies his ethos of nonpartisan commitment to the cause of security, support for US leadership in cooperation with allies and partners, and dedication to the mentorship of the next generation of leaders.
The Transatlantic Security Initiative, in the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security shapes and influences the debate on the greatest security challenges facing the North Atlantic Alliance and its key partners.