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Transatlantic defense and security challenges: A conversation with former NATO Supreme Allied Commander (SACEUR), Philip Breedlove (General, US Air Force -- retired)

invitation only · Webinar · 29.03.2021 15:00 - 16:00

invitation only
Speakers

invitation only

In the seven years since Russia’s annexation of Crimea and armed intervention in Eastern Ukraine, NATO, individual Allies, and Partners (such as Finland and Sweden) have taken important steps to strengthen their deterrence and defense postures. Further adaptation, within and outside the Alliance framework, will be needed to meet evolving military and non-military challenges in and beyond the European theater. However, formulating a coherent Western response — never an easy task– will be complicated by competing priorities and different threat assessments among some Allies and Partners, as well as the resource constraints likely to be tightened by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The fifth episode of “Transatlantic Currents” will explore the military and political-military challenges confronting NATO and key Partners over the next several years, with a particular emphasis on the role of U.S. military forces and decisions on their funding, capabilities, and global posture facing the new Biden Administration.

The recording of the webinar is available at FIIA’s youtube-channel:

Speakers

Opening remarks:

Charly Salonius-Pasternak

Leading researcher, FIIA

Charly Salonius-Pasternak is a Leading Researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs and leads the work of the Center on US Politics and Power (CUSPP). His work at FIIA focuses on international security issues, especially Nordic and transatlantic security (including NATO), as well as U.S. foreign and defence policy. Recently he has focused on Finnish-Swedish defence cooperation and the evolution of US and NATO alliance reassurance approaches in light of the changed regional security situation. In 2017, he was a visiting research fellow at the Changing Character of War programme at Pembroke College (Oxford University), where he studied the hybridization of warfare and the impact of the Information Age on the character of war.

Speaker:

Philip Breedlove

Distinguished Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, Georgia Tech University, and Member, Board of Directors, Atlantic Council

Philip Breedlove is a retired four-star General of the United States Air Force who served as the Commander, U.S. European Command, as well as the 17th Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), from May 2013 until May 4, 2016. He previously served as the Commander, U.S. Air Forces Europe, during which he concurrently served as Commander, U.S. Air Forces Africa and Commander and NATO’s Air Component Command, Ramstein. Prior to that he served as the 36th Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from January 14, 2011, to July 27, 2012. General Breedlove has had eight major commands, a fighter squadron, a fighter group, three fighter wings, a Numbered Air Force, an Air Force MAJCOM and US EUCOM/NATO’s Military Force.

General Breedlove currently serves on the Georgia Tech Advisory Board, as a Distinguished Professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Tech, as CEO of Emerald Coast Strategic Solutions and is on the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Council. He earned his Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology, a Master of Science in Aerospace Technology from Arizona State University, A Master of
International Security Affairs from the National War College and is a Seminar XXI Fellow from MIT.

Chair:

Leo Michel

Non-Resident Fellow, FIIA

Leo Michel is Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council. His previous government positions included: Distinguished Research Fellow at the Institute for National Strategic Studies; Director for NATO Policy and Director for Non-Nuclear Arms Control in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Deputy U.S. Representative to the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Consultative Commission as well as other government positions. Michel holds a M.A. from Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies and a B.A. from Princeton University.