A Silver Medal is Not Good Enough
Mobilising Ourselves to Deter Another War in Europe
Tentative Agenda
26 September
16:00-17:00
Pre-event, in cooperation with Milrem Robotics and DefSecIntel: Technology and Warfare – How to Stay Ahead of the Game?
What emerging disruptive technologies will be shaping the future character of warfare? What can small nations—such as Estonia—offer in the pursuit of technological superiority and qualitative edge over their adversaries? What insights can we draw from the ongoing war in Ukraine? How are these insights informing the perspective of the defence industry? Which concepts for technology and its employment is the war validating, modifying, or rendering irrelevant?
Dr Jack WATLING, Senior Research Fellow for Land Warfare, Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), the author of The Arms of the Future: Technology and Close Combat in the Twenty-First Century (Bloomsbury, 2023)
Jüri PAJUSTE, Director of Defence R&D, Milrem Robotics
Jaanus TAMM, President and CEO, DefSecIntel
Moderator: Andrius BIVAINIS, Research Fellow, Baltic Advanced Technology Institute
17:15-18:15
Pre-event, in cooperation with the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: The State of Arms Control – Taking a Time Out or Throwing the Towel In?
What are the implications of disintegrating arms control and confidence-building regimes in Europe? What risks and opportunities does this present? How will Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine and its potential outcomes influence future prospects of arms control? What should be the geopolitical and strategic conditions under which new arms control initiatives could be attempted?
Opening words by Martin ROGER, Director General for NATO and Transatlantic Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia
Dr Ian ANTHONY, Research Analyst, Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI)
Kalev STOICESCU, Chairman of the National Defence Committee, Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia)
Tõnis IDARAND, Research Fellow, ICDS
Moderator: Arti HILPUS, Director of Arms Control Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia
18:30-20:00
Opening Session: Defending Every Inch – Time for Some Proper Weightlifting
Keynote speeches by
Kaja KALLAS, Prime Minister of Estonia
and
General Darryl A. WILLIAMS, Commander of Allied Land Command and US Army Europe and Africa
Session discussion panel:
Pekka TOVERI, Member of Eduskunta (Parliament of Finland)
Max BERGMANN, Director of Europe, Russia and Eurasia Programme, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Moderator: Dr Maria MÄLKSOO, Professor of International Relations, Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen
20:00-21:45
Dinner hosted by Hanno PEVKUR, Minister of Defence of Estonia (Restaurant Nomel, Nordic Hotel Forum)
21:45-23:15
’Night Owls’ Session by Royal United Services Institute (RUSI): War in Ukraine – What’s the Score?
What is the ‘tactical-operational’ and ‘operational -strategic’ state of play of Ukrainian offensive? How might the fighting develop over the winter and from Spring 2024? How likely is it that the Russian armed forces will resume large scale offensive operations? What are the future prospects and challenges for the future of the Black Sea maritime blockade and grain initiative? What are Ukraine’s expectations and vision on the nature of the war and on which terms it might end?
Professor Justin BRONK, Senior Research Fellow for Airpower and Technology
Dr Jack WATLING, Senior Research Fellow for Land Warfare
Dr Maryna VOROTNYUK, Associate Fellow
Moderator: Ed ARNOLD, Research Fellow for European Security
27 September
08:00-08:55
Breakfast Breakout Sessions
Defence and Deterrence in the Indo-Pacific – Is There a Gameplan?
How is the strategic landscape evolving in the Indo-Pacific? What deterrence approaches are emerging across the region in response to China? How did Russia’s war against Ukraine affect the security dynamics across the Indo-Pacific? How can NATO and the EU build closer security relations with partners in the region?
Meia NOUWENS, Senior Fellow, International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)
Dr Liselotte ODGAARD, Professor, Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies, and Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute
Dr Tomonori YOSHIZAKI, Professor, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS)
Baiba BRAŽE, Ambassador for Special Assignments, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia
Moderator: Dr Iro SÄRKKÄ, Senior Research Fellow, Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA)
Defence Industry and Innovation – Whose Court is the Ball In?
How can the rejuvenation and growth of the European defence industry be encouraged? How should governments ensure sound transatlantic defence industrial relations? How can Europe cooperate with defence industrial partners in the Indo-Pacific? What should be the balance between traditional industries and the involvement of new industries cultivating emerging disruptive technologies (EDTs)?
Jonas CEDERLÖF, Policy Officer, Directorate for Defence Industry and Space, European Commission
Kadi SILDE, Chief Operating Officer, Defence Innovation Accelerator North Atlantic (DIANA)
Giedrimas JEGLINSKAS, Senior Advisor, Accenture EU AI and Data Lab
James BLACK, Assistant Director, Defence and Security, RAND Europe
Moderator: Brig Gen (ret) Jaak TARIEN, former Director of NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence
09:10-10:00
Keynote Session: Making the Powerplay Count
Keynote speeches by
Hanno PEVKUR, Minister of Defence of Estonia
and
Boris PISTORIUS, Minister of Defence of Germany
Discussion moderator: Dr Kristi RAIK, Deputy Director, ICDS
* The keynote speeches of the session are on the record, the discussion is under the Chatham House Rule
10:00-10:30
Break
10:30-11:45
Session One: Russia’s Threat – How Deep is Their Bench?
How quickly will Russia reconstitute its military power? When, where, and how might it be used next? Will the next war involving Russia be technology-centric or attrition heavy? Can its defence industry deliver under the sanctions? What lessons are being learned by Russia from its war against Ukraine? What would be the nature of the threat if Russia is in domestic turmoil?
Kęstutis BUDRYS, Chief National Security Advisor, Lithuanian President’s Office
Kaupo ROSIN, Director General, Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service
Tomas MALMLÖF, Senior Scientist, Division for Defence Analysis, FOI
Clinton REACH, International Defence Researcher, RAND Corporation
Moderator: Dr Michael ROULAND, Strategic Advisor, Russia Strategic Initiative, US European Command
11:45-13:00
Lunch
13:00-13:20
Keynote Session: Responding to the Threat – How Can We Set the Right Pace for a Long Run?
Lt. Gen. Ralph W. WOODDISSE KBE CBE MC, Commander Field Army, British Army
* The keynote speech is on the record, the Q&A segment is under the Chatham House Rule
13:20-14:35
Session Two: Euro-Atlantic Strategy – Full Court Defence and Beyond
How to deter, defend against, and defeat a nuclear power? How to sustain unity and unlock critical defence investments? How to maximise the strategic benefits of all Nordic-Baltic countries being in NATO and participating in the EU defence cooperation? How is the EU contributing to the common readiness and ability to manage military threats to European security?
Alexandre ESCORCIA, Director for Europe, North Africa, and Multilateral Action, Ministry of the Armed Forces of France
Ambassador George P. KENT, Ambassador of the United States of America to Estonia
Dr Benedikta von SEHERR-THOß, Managing Director for Peace, Security and Defence, European External Action Service
Maj. Gen. (ret.) Karl ENGELBREKTSON, former Commander of the Swedish Army
Justyna GOTKOWSKA, Deputy Director, Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW)
Moderator: Imants LIEGIS, Associate Fellow, Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA)
14:35-15:05
Break
15:05-16:20
Session Three: Implementation – Home Run or Strikeout?
What is the state of play for implementing NATO’s new forward defence strategy? How are Allies, large and small, performing in rebuilding their capabilities? What gaps, shortfalls, and structural deficiencies must be addressed urgently and in the long term? Can this be done in a more coordinated and collaborative manner? What roles do NATO and the EU play in this regard?
Tuuli DUNETON, Undersecretary for Defence Policy, Ministry of Defence of Estonia
Jörg SEE, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning
Lt. Gen. Jürgen-Joachim von SANDRART, Commander of the Multinational Corps Northeast
Peter WATKINS, Associate Fellow, Chatham House, and Non-Resident Research Fellow, ICDS, former Director General for Security Policy in the UK Ministry of Defence
Moderator: Missy RYAN, Pentagon Correspondent, The Washington Post
16:20-16:40
Closing Session: Way Forward – Taking the Gloves Off
Kusti SALM, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence of Estonia
Farewell words by the organisers
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