Security in Northern Europe: Deterrence, Defence and Dialogue

Please join the Atlantic Council for a public conversation on “Security in Northern Europe: Deterrence, Defence and Dialogue” on Thursday, October 25, 2018 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m at the Atlantic Council's Headquarters (1030 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20005).

With the resurgence of great power competition as a major challenge to transatlantic security, Northern Europe has once again emerged as an area of strategic relevance for the US and its Allies. Evolving geopolitical dynamics, changing warfare, and new capabilities have further contributed to turbulence in the region, demanding a stronger response and updated strategy from US and European leaders.

Convening a panel of experts from both sides of the Atlantic, this discussion will focus on how key NATO allies can respond to the complex situation in Northern Europe through a mix of effective deterrence, ability to fight, and constructive dialogue with Russia. The conversation will feature several coauthors of the new Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Whitehall Paper on this topic, which will also be launched at the event.

Bios

Svein Efjestad became policy director at the Norwegian Ministry of Defense (MoD) in 2013. He joined the MoD in 1981 after obtaining his MA in political science from the University of Oslo and serving for a brief period at the Norwegian Institute of International Relations (NUPI). Efjestad has held different positions in the MoD and served at the Norwegian delegation to NATO from 1986-1990.From 1995 to 2013 he served as director general for security policy at the MoD where he had broad responsibility in policies regarding national readiness, intelligence, defense planning and NATO affairs. Efjestad has represented the MoD in a number of national and international committees dealing with different security policy issues. In his current position, Efjestad is primarily engaged in policy planning, support to security policy research, Nordic defense cooperation, and bilateral defense and security issues. He is also chairman of the Norwegian Coast Guard Council.

Ambassador Alexander Vershbow is a distinguished fellow at the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. Ambassador Vershbow was the deputy secretary general of NATO from February 2012 to October 2016. Prior to his post at NATO, Ambassador Vershbow served for three years as the US assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs. In that position, he was responsible for coordinating US security and defense policies relating to the nations and international organizations of Europe (including NATO), the Middle East, and Africa. From 1977 to 2008, Vershbow was a career member of the United States Foreign Service. He served as US ambassador to NATO (1998-2001); to the Russian Federation (2001-05); and to the Republic of Korea (2005-08). He held numerous senior positions in Washington, including special assistant to the president and senior director for European affairs at the National Security Council (1994-97) and State Department director for Soviet Union affairs (1988-91).

Peter Roberts is director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), having been the senior research fellow for sea power and C4ISR since 2014.  He researches and publishes on a range of subjects from strategy and philosophy, contemporary war, military doctrine and thinking, command and control, naval warfare, ISR, professional military education and disruptive warfare techniques.  He lectures, speaks and writes on these topics as well as regularly providing advice for both UK and foreign governments. Previously, Peter was a career officer in the Royal Navy, serving as a commanding officer and national military representative. He has served in a variety of roles with all three branches of the British Armed forces, the US Coast Guard, US Navy, US Marine Corps and intelligence services from a variety of other nations. He served as chairman for several NATO working groups and Five Eyes maritime tactics symposia.  His military career included service in Hong Kong, the Baltic, Kenya, the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, Iraq, South Africa, Pakistan and Oman, interspersed with deployments in the GIUK gap and the Persian Gulf. Peter has a master’s degree in defense studies and a doctorate in politics and modern history.  He is a visiting professor of modern war at the French Military Academy.

Rolf Tamnes is a professor and head of the security and defense in Northern Europe program at the Norwegian Institute for Defense Studies (IFS). Prior to this, Tamnes was head of the expert commission on Norwegian Security and Defense Policy appointed by the Norwegian defense minister and member of the Afghanistan Committee appointed by the Norwegian government.  He was director of IFS from 1996–2012; head of the Geopolitics in the High North research program from 2008–2012; adjunct professor at the University of Oslo from 1995–2009; public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center from 2005–2006; and visiting fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies from 2005-2006.