Foreign and defence policy experts from 40 different countries will discuss how to preserve allies and alliances while standing up for our values ​​in this uncertain era at this

"In a complex global political climate, it is important that we have an open conversation about the depth of our alliances, both within NATO and the EU, but also within the broader community of like-minded countries. The US has clearly stated that it expects its European Allies to increase their defence spending, because what is happening in the Indo-Pacific region will demand more attention from America in the future," says Helga Kalm, director of the conference.

"At the conference, we will discuss the potential for peace in Ukraine and how to end the cycle of violence initiated by the Russian Federation. The issue of stopping the war in Ukraine is important not only for the European security architecture but also for countries such as China, Iran, and North Korea, all of whom are watching and learning from what is happening in and around Ukraine. How we resolve the current conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East will set a pattern that will shape the world for decades to come," she adds.

View the agenda here, the list of speakers here, and read more about the conference's theme here.

Lennart Meri Conference: We Shall Go Forward Together

Friday, May 16

15:00-16.00 Pre-Event. How to Make the NB8 the New Powerhouse of Europe?

Speakers:

Espen Barth Eide, Foreign Minister of Norway

Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of Estonia (2006–2016)

Carolina Vendil Pallin, Deputy Research Director of the Swedish Defence Research Agency

Moderator:

Edward Lucas, Senior Advisor at Center for European Policy Analysis

17:00-17:05 Welcome note: Kristi Raik, director of ICDS

17:05-18:30 Discussion panel. Running on Faith: NATO Summit in the Hague

 The Allies' political commitment to collective defence has been reinvigorated in the years following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. They have promised repeatedly to defend every inch of NATO territory against threats from all directions. Now, the Allies must provide the military capabilities and troops to implement the new regional defence plans and bolster their deterrence posture. More recently, however, the implications of America's likely strategic reorientation have strained the transatlantic relationship. Can the European Allies step up to shoulder more of the burden in defence and make the regional defence plans a reality? Are they ready to devote sufficient resources to meeting this promise? Can NATO rebuild the political unity necessary to preserve the Alliance for another 75 years?

Speakers:

Radosław Sikorski, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland

Radmila Shekerinska, NATO Deputy Secretary General

Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia

Matthew G Whitaker, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the United States to NATO

Moderator: Amy Mackinnon, Intelligence reporter at Politico

Saturday, May 17

10:00-11:15 Panel discussion. Baltic Sea Security: Shadow Fleet in Shallow Waters

From Kattegat to Kronstadt, the Baltic Sea is an essential trade corridor for the littoral countries, with critical seabed infrastructure. Last year was tumultuous for the region: several key pieces of infrastructure were damaged, investigations opened and closed, vessels arrested and released. Finally, in January 2025, NATO launched Baltic Sentry to enhance maritime security. While none of the incidents have been attributed to criminal activity or state-sponsored sabotage, commercial ships travelling to or from Russian ports in the Baltic Sea have been suspected of cutting data and electricity cables as well as damaging a gas pipeline. How to hold perpetrators responsible? Can we provide adequate infrastructure protection in the long term? With no accountability, can one expect attacks to increase?

Speakers:

Kęstutis Budrys, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania

Roderich Kiesewetter, Member of German Bundestag

John Mead, Deputy Commander of the Joint Force Command Brunssum

Hanno Pevkur, Minister of Defence of Estonia

Anna Wieslander, Director for Northern Europe at the Atlantic Council

Moderator: Charly Salonius-Pasternak, CEO at Nordic West Office

11:45-13:00 Panel discussion. A Farewell to Peace?

The post-Cold War world order that relied on international institutions and collectively agreed upon rules and regulations is being challenged by Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine. Russia and China hope to create a world based on great-power competition and divide it into their respective spheres of influence. Europe has traditionally had several power centres, and different regimes have always coexisted on the continent. How the war in Ukraine ends will define whether the existing security architecture survives or we will have to navigate the new great power competition. Who will be the competing powers in Europe—the EU and Russia? Or will there be others? Will Europe be able to influence the peace talks between the US, Russia, and Ukraine? Where will it leave Moldova, Serbia, and other non-aligned countries in Europe? Will we see a Europe with no grey zones?

Speakers:

Baiba Braže, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia

Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission

Mihai Popșoi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Moldova

Jack Watling, Senior Research Fellow at Royal United Services Institute

Moderator: Steven Erlanger, Chief Diplomatic Correspondent for Europe at The New York Times

16:00-16:30 Lennart Meri Lecture (speaker will be announced on spot)

16:30-17:45 Panel Discussion. My Neighbour's Problem Today, Mine Tomorrow: Rightsizing the China Challenge

China is the actor most capable of reshaping the global world order. According to the FBI, the Chinese government is seeking to become the world's greatest superpower through predatory lending and business practices, systematic theft of intellectual property, and brazen cyber intrusions. EU-China relations have also become increasingly complex due to China's repressive tactics at home and a more assertive behaviour abroad, resorting to economic coercion, boycotts of European goods, and export controls on critical raw materials. China is learning from Russia's war in Ukraine and intimidating its neighbours with an aggressive military posture. Is China a threat to the global world order, or is it simply an economic hegemon? How to respond to China's desire to change the world order from within? Can we outperform both Russia and China in military terms? How do we keep our neighbourhood safe and stable?

Speakers:

Nobukatsu Kanehara, Executive Director of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation

Matthew Kroenig, Vice President and Senior Director of the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council

Jae-Seung Lee, Director of the Ilmin International Relations Institute at Korea University

Gabrielius Landsbergis, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania

Moderator: Steve Clemons, Editor at Large at The National Interest

18:15-19:30 Panel Discussion. A Herculean Task: Can Europe Defend Itself?

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in the Political Guidelines for the Next European Commission: "The next five years will define Europe's place in the world for the next five decades. We cannot take the risk of being underprepared or over reliant." Russia's war on Ukraine has revealed the sorry state of European militaries and defence industries. We have focused our armed forces on out-of-area operations and have not invested enough in our own capabilities and infrastructure. Is the White Paper for European Defence and the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030 enough to prepare Europe to defend itself in the coming years? Is there a way to overcome the fragmentation of the European defence industry and increase interoperability through standardisation? Do Europeans even have enough forces to react with the necessary speed, or should Europe re-establish conscription and reserve-based defence forces? 

Speakers:

Onno Eichelsheim, Chief of Defence of the Netherlands

Andrus Merilo, Commander of the Defence Forces of Estonia

Bruno Tertrais, Deputy Director of the Foundation for Strategic Research

Camille Grand, Distinguished Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations

Moderator: Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor at The Economist

Sunday, May 18

10:00-11:15 Ukraine as a Steel Porcupine: From Military Aid to Troops on the Ground

Ukraine currently has one of the biggest and most capable armies in Europe. However, to sustain the current level of fighting, Ukraine relies on continued military aid from the Ramstein group. While European Allies have provided the most total assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war, the US still holds an edge in terms of military aid. For how long is the group able to keep up the support if the US reduces the number of arms it provides to Ukraine? In case of a ceasefire, Ukraine says it will need security guarantees from NATO countries. With NATO entry itself on hold for the time being, this would mean a coalition of the willing that would have troops on the ground to police the peace and deter Russia. How many troops would the like-minded countries need to send to Ukraine to make a difference? Should Russia launch another attack, would those forces engage?

Speakers:

Kristen Michal, Prime Minister of Estonia

Torrey Taussig, Director and Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council

Georgina Wright, Special Advisor at the German Marshall Fund

Michael Kofman, Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Moderator: Constanze Stelzenmüller, Director of the Center on the United States and Europe at the Brookings Institution

11:45-13:00 Closing panel: Allies, Enemies, and Interests

From east to west and from north to south, historic events are unfolding, while old systems and structures are being shaken. NATO and the EU are at times internally divided, and finding consensus often means agreeing to the lowest common denominator. Such alliances survive, but they do not thrive. Meanwhile, Russia and China, although not agreeing on everything, have managed to find common ground in a shared vision for a world based on spheres of influence. What happens when our once-shared interests and vision begin to diverge? Should we look for new partners to strengthen the existing alliances? How to better cooperate with a broader network of like-minded countries? How can we reinvigorate the old alliances to survive the new reality? What happens when our alliances are challenged, contested, and even attacked not only by external adversaries but from within?

Speakers:

Susan Glasser, Staff Writer and Columnist at The New Yorker

Alar Karis, President of Estonia

Nataša Pirc Musar, President of the Republic of Slovenia

Alexander Stubb, President of the Republic of Finland

Moderator: Sylvie Kauffmann, Editorial Director at Le Monde

13:00-13:10 Closing remarks by Conference Director Helga Kalm

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