President Trump has been in the White House for only a few weeks, yet in that short time, he has fundamentally changed eight decades of American foreign policy, based on alliances, partnerships and a unique transatlantic bargain between the Europeans and the United States. Recent events have unfolded at breakneck speed, leaving the Europeans stunned and sidelined as the Trump Administration entered negotiations with Russia about the war in Ukraine – without representation from Ukraine or Europe. This fluid situation has forced European leaders to question whether the American security guarantee - the linchpin of NATO’s Article Five – remains valid, and whether Europe must now provide for its own security.
The event brings together prominent speakers from both the worlds of policy and academia to share their analysis on the current state of the transatlantic relationship, European defence and security, and the consequences for global order. These are pressing questions in an environment that seems to change from one day to the next. The roundtable will address the importance of the transatlantic relationship, not only for European security, but indeed as the main pillar underpinning the liberal international order and an essential factor in the support for Ukraine. The speakers will focus on topics ranging from the security benefits (to both Europe and the United States) of the transatlantic relationship, issues of trust and shared values, and the practical obstacles for Europe to – quite suddenly - having to rethink the fundamentals of European security. The big question is – can Europe come up with a new strategy for its own security and defence? What are the obstacles? And what are the possibilities?
The event will also serve to kick off the new STG Security Dialogue, an initiative led by the Florence School of Transnational Governance’s Masters students. The Dialogue will aim to promote discussions on security (broadly defined) and defence and spreading subject-related knowledge to a wider audience. The Dialogue will feature both dialogues with external speakers, as well as dialogues among the students themselves and across the EUI community.
All are welcome to attend. Please register, indicating whether you intend to attend online or in person.