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 Fleck, Senior Director, Europe Center, Atlantic Council
2:02 p.m. – 2:10 p.m. ET Welcome remarks
FEATURING
Frederick Kempe, President & Chief Executive Officer, Atlantic Council
H.E. Jan Lipavský, Minister 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 Flanagan, Adjunct 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 Painter, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Blue Star Strategies LLC; Atlantic Council Board Director
Ambassador Alexander Vershbow, Distinguished Fellow, Atlantic Council; Former Deputy Secretary General of NATO
MODERATED BY
Ambassador Paula Dobriansky, Vice 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 Havranek, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington DC; Former Deputy Minister of Defense of the Czech Republic
James Townsend, Adjunct Senior Fellow, Transatlantic Security Program, Center for a New American Security
Róbert Vass, Founder and President, GLOBSEC
MODERATED BY
Ian Brzezinski, Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council
5:00 p.m. – 5:05 p.m. ET Closing remarks
FEATURING
H.E. Miloslav Stašek, Ambassador 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 Barker, Head, Technology and Global Affairs Program, German Council on Foreign Relations; Nonresident Senior Fellow, Europe Center, Atlantic Council
Mr. Levente Juhasz, Public Policy and Government Relations Manager, Google
Ms. Eva Maydell MEP, Member, 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 Burwell, Distinguished 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 Birchall, Special Envoy for Strategic and International Affairs, Nuclearelectrica; Former Minister of European Affairs of Romania
H.E. Yaroslav Demchenkov, Deputy 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 Burduja, Minister of Research, Innovation, and Digitalization of Romania
MODERATED BY
Jörn Fleck, Senior 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 Mosbacher, Co-Chair, Three Seas Programming, Atlantic Council; Former US Ambassador to the Republic of Poland
MODERATED BY
Ian Brzezinski, Senior 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 Burwell, Distinguished Fellow, Europe Center, Atlantic Council; Senior Director, McLarty Associates
WELCOMED BY
Jörn Fleck, Senior Director, Europe Center, Atlantic Council
Speakers
With special thanks to:
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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.
The Europe Center promotes leadership, strategies, and analysis to ensure a strong, ambitious, and forward-looking transatlantic relationship.