Rewatch the playlist

The Atlantic Council’s Europe Center is delighted to invite you to the next edition of Central Europe Week, a hybrid event series taking place from December 5 to December 9, 2022. This series will highlight how the United States and Central Europe can together lead in shaping transatlantic responses to regional and global challenges, while also underscoring our unique cultural and historical connections.

The direct threat from Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, coupled with pressure to act on many complex issues including security, climate change, digital transformation, and regional development, have brought Europe to a crossroads. Amid ongoing geopolitical turbulence, energy insecurity, and economic downslide, Central Europe has proven to be a critical voice in the transatlantic partnership. By addressing strategic challenges alongside our Central European partners and allies, the transatlantic community has the opportunity to promote European unity, resilience, and prosperity through impactful collaboration.

Agenda

Monday, December 5

In-person at the Atlantic Council’s Washington, DC offices with hybrid viewing options

2:00 p.m. – 2:02 p.m. ET         Opening remarks

FEATURING

Jörn FleckSenior Director, Europe Center, Atlantic Council

2:02 p.m. – 2:10 p.m. ET         Welcome remarks

FEATURING

Frederick KempePresident & Chief Executive Officer, Atlantic Council

H.E. Jan LipavskýMinister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic

2:10 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. ET          Panel: Twenty years since Prague: Lessons and opportunities for the future of transatlantic security cooperation

FEATURING

Dr. Stephen FlanaganAdjunct Senior Fellow, RAND Corporation

Alexandr Vondra MEP, Member, Subcommittee on Security and Defense, European Parliament (European Conservatives and Reformists Group—Czech Republic); Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense of the Czech Republic

Sally PainterCo-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Blue Star Strategies LLC; Atlantic Council Board Director

Ambassador Alexander VershbowDistinguished Fellow, Atlantic Council; Former Deputy Secretary General of NATO

MODERATED BY

Ambassador Paula DobrianskyVice Chair, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, Atlantic Council; Senior Fellow, Future of Diplomacy Project, Harvard University Belfer Center for Science & International Affairs; Former Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs

3:35 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. ET         Keynote address: NATO’s adaptation for a more secure and prosperous future

FEATURING

Ambassador Daniel Fried, Weiser Family Distinguished Fellow, Atlantic Council; Former US Ambassador to the Republic of Poland

3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET         Panel: Grappling with the geopolitical reality on NATO’s Eastern front

FEATURING

Robin Dunnigan, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, US Department of State

Jan HavranekDeputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington DC; Former Deputy Minister of Defense of the Czech Republic

James TownsendAdjunct Senior Fellow, Transatlantic Security Program, Center for a New American Security

Róbert VassFounder and President, GLOBSEC

MODERATED BY

Ian BrzezinskiSenior Fellow, Atlantic Council

5:00 p.m. – 5:05 p.m. ET         Closing remarks

FEATURING

H.E. Miloslav StašekAmbassador of the Czech Republic to the United States

5:05 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. ET         Public reception

In-person participants only

Tuesday, December 6

Virtual only

10:40 a.m. –  11:00 a.m. ET      A virtual spotlight conversation with H.E. Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy

FEATURING

H.E. Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy

MODERATED BY

Ambassador Richard Morningstar, Founding Chairman, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council

11:00 a.m. –  12:00 p.m. ET      Virtual panel: Mobilizing opportunity in Central and Eastern Europe’s digital economy

FEATURING

Mr. Tyson BarkerHead, Technology and Global Affairs Program, German Council on Foreign Relations; Nonresident Senior Fellow, Europe Center, Atlantic Council

Mr. Levente JuhaszPublic Policy and Government Relations Manager, Google

Ms. Eva Maydell MEPMember, Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence in a Digital Age; Member, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy; European Parliament (European People’s Party—Bulgaria)

Ms. Orsolya Ráczová, Stream Director, Economy and Business, GLOBSEC

MODERATED BY

Dr. Frances BurwellDistinguished Fellow, Europe Center, Atlantic Council; Senior Director, McLarty Associates

Wednesday, December 7

Virtual only

8:00 a.m. –  9:00 a.m. ET        Virtual panel: Energy transition and diversification for a more secure and prosperous Europe

FEATURING

H.E. Vaclav Bartuška, Ambassador-at-Large for Energy Security of the Czech Republic

Minister Ana BirchallSpecial Envoy for Strategic and International Affairs, Nuclearelectrica; Former Minister of European Affairs of Romania

H.E. Yaroslav DemchenkovDeputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine

MODERATED BY

Landon Derentz, Senior Director, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council

9:00 a.m. –  9:20 a.m. ET        A virtual spotlight conversation with H.E. Sebastian Burduja, Minister of Research, Innovation, and Digitalization of Romania

FEATURING

H.E. Sebastian BurdujaMinister of Research, Innovation, and Digitalization of Romania

MODERATED BY

Jörn FleckSenior Director, Europe Center, Atlantic Council

Thursday, December 8

Virtual only

8:00 a.m. –  9:00 a.m. ET        Virtual panel: The Three Seas Initiative and the road to Bucharest

REMARKS FROM

H.E. Bogdan Aurescu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania

H.E. Edgars Rinkēvičs, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia 

FEATURING

Dr. Māris Andžāns, Director, Center for Geopolitical Studies Riga

Mr. Cristian Gaginsky, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Romania in Washington DC

Ambassador Richard Morningstar, Founding Chairman, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council; Former US Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan; Former US Ambassador to the European Union

Ambassador Georgette MosbacherCo-Chair, Three Seas Programming, Atlantic Council; Former US Ambassador to the Republic of Poland

MODERATED BY

Ian BrzezinskiSenior Fellow, Atlantic Council

9:00 a.m. –  9:20 a.m. ET        A virtual spotlight conversation with H.E. Věra Jourová, European Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency

FEATURING

H.E. Věra Jourová, Vice-President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency

MODERATED BY

Dr. Frances BurwellDistinguished Fellow, Europe Center, Atlantic Council; Senior Director, McLarty Associates

WELCOMED BY

Jörn FleckSenior Director, Europe Center, Atlantic Council

Speakers

With special thanks to:

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Coverage

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Related Reading

Recap previous Central Europe Weeks

Catch up on last year’s Central Europe Week virtual event series considering the transatlantic response to emerging global challenges ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to democratic resilience.

Check out the 2020 edition of Central Europe Week, which focused on the future of transatlantic relations after COVID-19.

In 2019, the inaugural Central Europe Week conference marked the 30-year anniversary of the fall of communism by celebrating the future of a free Europe and its connections with the US.

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