Wilson Center | Global Europe Program

EVENT | 2024 Ahtisaari Symposium: Fireside Conversation with Pekka Haavisto on Finland's Decision to Join NATO On December 4 at 10am join us for a conversation with former Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto for a look into how #Finland is already actively contributing to the #NATO Alliance, the impact this decision has had on Northern European #security, and the future of Russia-Finland relations.?RSVP ?? https://buff.ly/3Vap9KR

The new European Commission is confirmed! What will its priorities mean for the transatlantic relations? On December 6 at 10am join us for The Wilson Center and Friedrich Naumann Foundation North America joint report launch on the transatlantic relations under the new European Commission. RSVP ?? bit.ly/4fM8Ls2

?? UPCOMING EVENTS ?? | Next week, the Wilson Center has two major events that might be of interest.?You can watch both events online in case you can't make it in-person. ?? 2024 Ahtisaari Symposium: Fireside Conversation with Pekka Haavisto on Finland's Decision to Join NATO (Wednesday, December 4 at 10am ET) On May 18, 2022, Finland decided to join the NATO Alliance, becoming a full member less than a year later. Finland’s decision to join NATO was a monumental decision for both the United States, Finland, and the Alliance as a whole. Join us for a conversation with former Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto for a look into how Finland is already actively contributing to the NATO Alliance, the impact this decision has had on Northern European security, and the future of Russia-Finland relations. More details and RSVP: https://lnkd.in/gzh8tqiD ?? From Brussels to Washington: Transatlantic Relations Under the New European Commission (Friday, December 6 at 10am ET) In 2024, both the United States and the European Union are changing their leadership. Following the European Parliament elections and re-election of Ursula von der Leyen as the Commission President, the new European Commission was confirmed on November 27, 2024. With the pledges that this new Commission will be more geopolitical than ever, it is important to understand what the priorities of the new Commission mean for the future of the transatlantic relations. The Wilson Center’s Global Europe Program and The Friedrich Naumann Foundation are pleased to present findings from a new joint report analyzing the priorities of the new European Commission and their implications for the next presidential administration. More details and RSVP: https://lnkd.in/gQU-X-ZB

NEW ARTICLE | Risky Game: Hybrid Attack on Baltic Undersea Cables In the days following the Biden administration’s?authorization?for Ukraine to strike into Russian territory with US-made ATACMS, another hybrid attack against two data cables took place in the Baltic Sea. Cinia, the Finnish state operator of the C-Lion1 cable between #Finland and #Germany – which is also the only cable running directly between Finland and central Europe –?reported?an external force damaged the 1,200km (745 miles) fiber optic undersea cable off of the coast of #Sweden’s ?land Island. Just a few hours later, Swedish telecom operator Telia?reported damage?to its cable between Sweden and Lithuania a short distance away. The Danish navy has?detained?the?Yi Peng 3, a Chinese-registered ship, as part of its ongoing investigation. This #hybrid attack – likely from #Russia – is clearly meant to send a message to Europe and hopes to divide European governments. Russia’s continued hybrid attacks on critical undersea infrastructure (CUI) in the region are a risky game following #NATO’s Washington Summit in July statement that hybrid attacks could trigger Article 5. https://lnkd.in/eBZNQJwQ Huge thanks to my stellar co-authors, Robin Quinville and Rickard Lindholm, for the great team-up on this piece.

Very pleased to have my latest article on EU climate diplomacy published with the Wilson Center. In this piece, I dive into the opportunities presented to the EU to align its 'strategic autonomy' goals with its climate goals by establishing mutually-beneficial relationships with countries in Africa. While the EU's desire to reduce its dependencies and its commitment to decarbonization are often seen as contradictory objectives, drawing the EU's climate policy further into the bloc's foreign policy can simultaneously help African countries gain access to the financial resources and expertise needed to climate-proof growing African economies while allowing the EU to diversify its green supply chains. In order to do so the EU must, however, learn to view climate change through its partners' eyes. A big thank you to Jason C. Moyer and the Wilson Center | Global Europe Program for making this article possible. https://lnkd.in/dWJY_Xjt

#1000days of Russia’s full-scale war 1000 days of NATO supporting Ukraine #StandWithUkraine now and into the future

NEW ARTICLE | Why the European Political Community Still Matters The European Political Community (EPC) Summit in Budapest, Hungary happened with little fanfare, in part due to the summit’s close proximity to the US elections. Despite the lack of clear deliverables, the EPC, however, remains popular with European leaders. Its flexible format allows representatives to engage on a myriad of issues, from bilateral disputes to broader foreign and security challenges. The overarching theme from this summit, largely a reaction to the US election, was that Europe has to step up and do more for its own security. This was best espoused by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said “we must not delegate forever our security to America”, warning that Europe must not become a weak "herbivore" surrounded by "carnivores." Instead, Europe needs to become an “omnivore”, able to cooperate and act independently when needed –a strategic goal the EU has been working towards for over a decade. As Europe tries to reassert itself in this new geopolitical context, the EPC can be an increasingly valuable convening body for Europe to double down on its geopolitical aspirations. Huge thanks to my stellar co-author, Ma?a Ocvirk, for her inputs and guidance. https://lnkd.in/eijApjaJ #EuropeanPoliticalCommunity #EPC #Europe #Macron

Biden’s much-agonized-about decision [about permission to strike Russia] will not change the course of war. It is not because ATACMS are ineffectual or because Russia is invincible. Rather, it is because no single weapons system or decision has the power to change the course of a war of attrition. Only a shift in the overall balance of human, military, and economic resources might. Ukraine is inherently disadvantaged in this balance vis-à-vis Russia, which makes Ukraine’s continued survival and resistance even more incredible. The United States and Europe have had 1000 days to tip the scales decisively in Ukraine’s favor, but they chose not to. Biden’s decision on ATACMS will help, but like much else in this war, it is too little too late. My latest in Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists https://lnkd.in/epcP9bNc

Last week, we had the pleasure to host Deputy Director-General Olivier Onidi, DG HOME at The Wilson Center. Thank you to everyone who joined us for an excellent discussion on EU's approach to internal security challenges from #migration to #cybersecurity. Transatlantic cooperation remains crucial to address these successfully. Wilson Center | Middle East Program European Union Delegation to the United States

On Tuesday, we had the opportunity to host an ICE Pact Industry roundtable with representatives from Seaspan ULC, Bollinger Shipyards, Aker Arctic Technology Inc, Davie, and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). We were also joined by our Finnish and Canadian colleagues working on ICE Pact coordination (Reko-Antti Suojanen, Marjut Akola, Jarkko Toivola, Siobhan Harty, Joanne Lostracco) and US colleagues. Many thanks to all of the participants--we look forward to continuing this insightful dialogue between industry, the interagency, and our international partners. Thank you to Wilson Center | Global Europe Program, Wilson Center | Canada Institute, and the Wilson Center Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition for their support of this endeavor.