Stability in the European Union’s eastern neighborhood is of vital interest to all EU member states. This event, which was organized by DGAP with the support of Bertelsmann Stiftung’s project “Strategies for the EU Neighborhood,” brought together experts and policy makers for a discussion on the future of European security in light of the findings of a related policy paper.
The discussion addressed the strategic question of how the EU should cope with Russia, Turkey, and China, as well as with Iran and Saudi Arabia, who are struggling for influence in the neighborhood they all share. We look reflected upon the interests, motives, and interdependencies of what have become regional powers who are playing an increasingly active role. Assessing current challenges and risks, we explored how Europe should shape its Eastern Partnership and other external policies in order to strengthen preventive resilience and defuse crises before developments in the region grow into an acute conflict.
We were delighted to welcome some of the authors of the policy paper as our speakers.
Introductory remarks:
Milan Nic, Head of the Robert Bosch Center for Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia, DGAP
Miriam Kosmehl, Senior Expert Eastern Europe and European Neighborhood, Program Europe’s Future, Bertelsmann Stiftung
Speakers:
Bernhard Bartsch, Senior Expert China and Asia Pacific, Bertelsmann Stiftung
Wilfried Jilge, Expert on Eastern Europe; Associate Fellow, DGAP
Michael Link, Member of the Bundestag
Erdal Yalcin, Expert on Turkey and Economics, University of Applied Sciences, Konstanz
Chair: Cristina Gherasimov, Research Fellow, DGAP
The debate was held in English; an English version of the policy paper will be available in September.
Watch the recording: