A Conversation with:
Ambassador Franz-Michael Mellbin
Special Representative of the European Union to Afghanistan

Moderated by:
The Honorable James B. Cunningham
Senior Fellow and Khalilzad Chair, South Asia Center

Atlantic Council The recent events in Kunduz have lead experts to speculate about whether Afghanistan can defend itself against the Taliban. While the political and security aftermath of these events continues to unfold, questions are  being raised about the Taliban’s next moves and the resilience of the Afghan state institutions. Is there a new threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), which may shift the focus in a region known to reject foreign presence? Will further troop reductions in prospect under President Obama’s withdrawal schedule lead the United States to rely more heavily on its European partners? What can we expect from the NATO Warsaw Summit and the Brussels Conference? Can the United States, China, and Iran work together towards peace for Afghanistan? Please join us as Ambassador Franz-Michael Mellbin addresses these and other timely questions about the Afghan state.