CEO Roundtable in cooperation with the Atlantik-Brücke on 17th December, 2018, Übersee-Club Hamburg (participation by invitation only).
The Western alliance is facing one of its most difficult stress tests since the end of World War II. Two years after Donald Trump was elected 45th President of the United States, transatlantic issues from trade to burden sharing have become increasingly contended. Will Europe be able to respond to the current challenges with one voice?
Europe is facing an epochal change, says Wolfgang Ischinger, chairman of the Munich Security Conference, member of Atlantik-Brücke’s Board of Directors and member of United Europe. Europeans must be aware that they cannot rely on American security guarantees forever. Europe must make a greater contribution, he writes in his new book “World in Danger”: “It cannot be politically sustainable in the long term for 500 million wealthy Europeans to outsource essential parts of their security to their Atlantic partners on the other side of the ocean. Europe must become more able to act, speak with one voice and develop into a defence union.”
Yet, European responses to President Trump’s foreign policy diverge: Poland, the Baltic States, Sweden and Finland have deepened their military and security relations with the USA. In Germany, America’s security policy demands have triggered a heated debate. Will Europe be able to speak with one voice in transatlantic questions?
At our CEO Roundtable, we will address the current controversial issues in the transatlantic alliance and ask what is needed to form both a “balanced partnership” with the United States and a “sovereign, strong Europe”.
Opening Remarks:
Friedrich Merz, Chairman of Atlantik-Brücke and Board member of United Europe e.V.
Dr. Wolfgang Schüssel, former Chancellor of Austria and President of United Europe e.V.
Keynote:
Ambassador Dr. Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman of the Munich Security Conference
Impulses:
Peter Beyer, MdB, Coordinator of Transatlantic Cooperation at the Federal Foreign Ministry
Michal Kobosko, Senior Adviser of Poland Office at the Atlantik Council
Taavi Roivas, former Prime Minister of Estonia