The United States and Central Europe: Converging or Diverging Strategic Interests?

Ten months into the Obama administration is a useful time to take stock of the U.S.-Central European relationship and to consider both common and differing foreign policy priorities. Moreover, as NATO has been tasked with formulating a new Strategic Concept, it is valuable to obtain the perspectives of the newer members of the Alliance concerning NATO’s development.

Panel 1: U.S.-Central European Relations: Avoiding Strategic Drift (Audio from Panel 1)

• Moderator: Janusz Bugajski, CSIS
• Radek Sikorski, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Poland (Audio from Sikorski's Remarks Here)
  
• Tomas Pojar, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Czech Republic
• Kurt Volker, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
• Heather Conley, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs

Strategic Overview (Video)

• Zbigniew Brzezinski, CSIS

Keynote Address: U.S. Perspectives on Central Europe (Video)

• Philip Gordon, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs

Panel 2: Shaping an Agenda for Renewed Partnership: Common Interests in Europe and Beyond (Audio from Panel 2)

• Moderator: Slawomir Debski, Polish Institute of International Affairs
• Adam Rotfeld, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Poland
• Andrzej Olechowski, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Poland
• Kadri Liik, Director, International Center for Defense Studies, Estonia
• Stephen Flanagan, Former Special Assistant to the U.S. President

Concluding Comments

• Janusz Bugajski, CSIS
• Slawomir Debski, Polish Institute of International Affairs