German-American Conference 2025
2025 is Pivotal for Transatlantic Relations: New Security Challenges Require a New Security Architecture
May 8, 2025, marks the 80th anniversary of the Victory in Europe Day. The end of World War II ushered in a period of relative peace in Europe, global democratization, and economic integration, as well as the establishment of robust international institutions. This was the last time the United States won an armed conflict definitively, and conflict now looks a lot different than it did back then.
Today we face a new security landscape. Land warfare has returned to Europe, faith in longstanding political structures seems to be in retreat, economic protectionism is on the rise, and strong multilateral institutions appear to be relics of the past. Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, China’s coercive economic behavior, and a growing axis of autocratic states raise an essential question for us: What is the meaning of war and peace today? As we see new governments in the United States and Germany and a new European Commission, political leaders will face the task of developing a new strategic identity adapted to the new security environment.
This challenge comes at a pivotal moment for the Western industrialized world: We are confronted both with emerging external threats and struggles within our societies. With the German-American Conference 2025, we provide a platform for strategic discussions about the challenges of a new era in transatlantic relations.
With:
- Esther Brimmer, James H. Binger Senior Fellow in Global Governance, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
- Alicia Fawcett, Director of Cyberthreat Intelligence, DuskRise
- Alexander Gabuev, Director, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center
- Uwe Horstmann, Founding Partner & General Manager, Project A Ventures Management GmbH
- Prof. Michael Hüther, Director & Member of the Presidium, German Economic Institute (IW)
- Prof. Harold James, Professor of History and International Affairs, Princeton University
- Emily Kilcrease, Senior Fellow and Director, Energy, Economics and Security Program, Center for a New American Security (CNAS)
- Dr. Claudia Major, Senior Vice President, Transatlantic Security, German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF)
- H.R. McMaster, Former U.S. National Security Advisor
- Wess Mitchell, Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
- Prof. Peter R. Neumann, Director, International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence, King’s College London
- Dr. Norbert Röttgen MP(CDU/CSU), Former Federal Minister
- Major General Wolf-Jürgen Stahl, President, Bundesakademie für Sicherheitspolitik (BAKS)
- Amb. Kurt Volker, Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO
- Sven Weizenegger, Head, Cyber Innovation Hub, German Armed Forces
Participation is open to all, the number of spots is limited. If you would like to register for the conference, please click here.
Do not hesitate to email event@atlantik-bruecke.org in case you have any questions.
You can take a look at the preliminary agenda here.