May 23, 2022, 18:00 p.m. CET

4. European Strategic Dialogue

Appalled by the Kremlin’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the member states of the European Union have been moving closer together than ever before in their recent history. So far, five sanction packages have already been jointly adopted to put a stop to the aggressor, a sixth package is currently being negotiated.
While some differences vis-a-vis their bilateral relationship with Russia remain, Putin’s attack on Ukraine nevertheless heralds a „turning point" (Olaf Scholz) for Europe and the West in general, making it necessary to rethink questions of European sovereignty in security and defence for all member states.

It has become evident that not only Ukraine has to fight for its sovereignty - the European Union and its member states likewise need to appropriately address the current strategic dynamics to improve their sovereignty in security and defence. European sovereignty touches upon diverse topics well beyond traditional geopolitics and entails not only achieving greater defence collaboration among EU members or strengthening the EU's capacities in the realms of cybersecurity and space, but also involves achieving a solution-oriented climate policy for tackling threats emanating from climate change.

What are the options for establishing greater European Sovereignty in light of recent events? Can the member states and Brussels overcome current obstacles in or to formulae a coherent and sustainable EU’s security and defense policy while securing and further strengthening the precious relationship with NATO? What needs to be done for the EU and its member states being more able to tackling the key strategic challenges of our times?

These and other questions will be addressed by high-ranking experts during the fourth edition of the European Strategic Dialogue, this time held in close cooperation with the Federal Academy for Security Policy (BAKS). H.E. Luis Vassy, Ambassador of France to the Netherlands and H.E. Ekkehard Brose, Ambassador and President of the Federal Academy for Security Policy (BAKS), Sophie Vériter (Leiden University) and Christiane Heidbrink (Bonn University) will discuss the further development of European sovereignty in the field of security and defense. The event will be hosted by Ambassador (ret.) Dirk Brengelmann, Senior Fellow at the Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS). 

Welcome:

Prof. Dr. Wolfram Hilz

Director of the Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS), Bonn University

 
Short remarks:

H.E. Luis Vassy

Ambassador of France to the Netherlands

H.E. Ekkehard Brose

Ambassador, President of the Federal Academy for Security Policy (BAKS)
 
Discussion:

H.E. Luis Vassy

H.E. Ekkehard Brose

Sophie Vériter 

Doctoral researcher at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs (ISGA), Leiden University

Christiane Heidbrink

Research Fellow at the Center for Global Studies (CGS) , Bonn University
 
Moderation:

Dirk Brengelmann

Ambassador (a.D.), Senior Fellow at CASSIS

Cooperation partners:

Friedrich Naumann Foundation

Federal Academy for Security Policy (BAKS)

Institut français Pay-Bas

Leiden University