Brussels Forum 2023 Rewind

Watch recordings of the different sessions at the 18th annual Brussels Forum and read relevant publications.

GMF convened the 18th edition of Brussels Forum on May 23-24, 2023. The gathering was dedicated to defining a new Atlanticism and shaping a hopeful, post-war international system by rebuilding Ukraine in the spirit of a modern Marshall Plan. Conference discussions offered a set of geographically and demographically diverse voices opportunities for candid dialogue on issues of global importance. Key speakers included NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas, US Ambassador to the EU Mark Gitenstein, Ukrainian Member of Parliament Andrey Zhupanyn, US Senator Cory Booker.  

Read more about Brussels Forum 2023. View photos from Day 1 and Day 2. 

 

Opening Remarks

Remarks:

 

Opening Remarks

Part I: Perspectives on a New Atlanticism

 

This year’s Brussels Forum recognizes the extraordinary historic parallels between today’s world and the world as it was in August 1941. War raged in Europe. Two transatlantic partners came together to discuss the urgent need for supply of munitions, the “right of all peoples … to see sovereign rights and self-government restored to those who have been forcibly deprived of them”, and the necessity of equal access to trade and critical materials to states’ economic prosperity.  That 1941 meeting, despite the conditions of great global turmoil, produced a bold and hopeful vision known as the Atlantic Charter.  

Today, a new transatlantic generation must now define THEIR Atlantic Charter—their Atlanticism. This New Atlanticism is forged every day by the Ukrainian people who fight for their sovereignty and the freedom to choose their form of government. It is forged by rebuilding Ukraine, addressing dramatic changes to our climate, strengthening democratic principles amid revolutionary technological advancement, increasing transatlantic security and economic competitiveness, and, above all, upholding human dignity. What are your hopes, aspirations, and principles for this new Atlanticism?

Speakers:

 

Video coming soon 

Perspectives on a New Atlanticism

Part II: Building a New Atlanticism

 

A Conversation on the Human Side of Rebuilding Ukraine: Voices From Civil Society

Ukraine’s most valuable asset for postwar reconstruction is its people. The rebuilding of Ukraine is not only a matter of reconstructing houses and roads. For the country’s recovery and long-term development, people’s needs must be prioritized in all recovery reforms and plans. The rehabilitation of human capital will require social, educational, and psychological programming and a re-integration of women, children, youth IDPs, the elderly, veterans, and so on—everyone. This is important not only to ensure the country’s survival, but also to give people hope and provide direction to their efforts in the short run.

Speakers:

  • Mariya Heletiy, Deputy Chief of Party, USAID Ukraine Civil Society Sectoral Support Activity, ISAR "Ednannia"
  • Moderator: Kateryna Myasnykova, Executive Director, National Association of Media, Ukraine
A Conversation on the Human Side of Rebuilding Ukraine: Voices From Civil Society

Building for the Future: A Green Marshall Plan for Ukraine   

The Lugano Declaration for the Reconstruction of Ukraine commits to rebuilding sustainably and in alignment with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Ukraine’s reconstruction presents a critical opportunity to provide for a low-emissions and environmentally sustainable recovery of one of the most energy- and carbon-intensive economies in Europe and the world, putting it on track for EU accession and global climate targets. As major energy consumers and centers of infrastructure and housing, cities will be at the forefront of Ukraine’s green transition. Local ideation and experimentation have begun, with municipalities, civil society, and international partners developing approaches to rebuilding that balance immediate needs with the goal of a sustainable recovery. Russian military attacks are pushing Ukrainians to radically transform their energy system, improving energy security through the creation of a decentralized energy grid that deploys locally available renewable resources and promotes efficiency. Local best practices need to be scaled and coordinated with national recovery planning to be effective, however. How can this be accomplished, and how can local and civic voices calling for green rebuilding be lifted into high-level conversations on Ukraine’s recovery?

Speakers:

  • Introduction: Miguel Eiras Antunes, Global Smart Cities & Urban Transformation Leader, Deloitte
  • Oleksandra Azarkhina, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, Ukraine     
  • Olena Pavlenko, Chair, PWYP Global Council and President, DiXi Group     
  • Gulnara Roll, Secretary to the Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
  • Oleksandr Syenkevych, Mayor, City of Mykolaiv, Ukraine               
  • Moderator: Fiona Harvey, Environment Editor, The Guardian

Read GMF Expert Hannah Abdullah's recent piece on A Green Marshall Plan for Ukraine. 

Building for the Future: A Green Plan For Ukraine

Fortifying the Future of Ukraine: Rebuilding Infrastructure for Resilience

Fortifying Ukrainian infrastructure to withstand, adapt, and recover from future challenges is increasingly a priority for governments thinking about the post-conflict reconstruction in Ukraine. Governments and multi-national organizations are establishing new partnerships with Kyiv to incorporate resiliency into the reconstruction process by sharing best practices for enhancing good governance, transparency, and agility. What areas of focus are of particular importance to Ukraine as it plans to rebuild with resilience? How does infrastructure resilience factor into Ukrainian national security planning? Ukraine signed an MOU with the United States on infrastructure resilience in 2022, and more recently, similar MOUs with NATO and the EU. How will this collaboration contribute to the construction of a safe and resilient Ukraine?

Speakers:

Fortifying the Future of Ukraine: Rebuilding Infrastructure for Resilience

The Odesa Debate Part I: The World’s Largest Construction Project—Private-Sector Stakes and Perspectives

As Ukraine and its international partners look to the reconstruction of the country’s infrastructure and economy, official assistance is only one part of the equation. An effective Marshall Plan for Ukraine will need to mobilize private sector investment for both immediate reconstruction and the longer-term development of the country’s economy in a Euro-Atlantic setting. There will be unique opportunities, but also substantial obstacles to be overcome in creating the elements of the “software” for economic development: security, political stability, the rule of law, and effective anti-corruption mechanisms. How does the business community view these preconditions for successful partnership in Ukraine? What is already being done? What more needs to be done, and who should do it?

Speakers:

  • Introduction: Ian Lesser, Vice President, The German Marshall Fund of the United States
  • Lucy Cronin, Vice President, EU Public Policy, Amazon               
  • Andy Hunder, President, American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine
  • Semen Kryvonos, Head, National Anti-Corruption Bureau, Ukraine (virtual)
  • Dorothy McAuliffe, Special Representative for Global Partnerships, Office of Global Partnerships, US Department of State
  • Moderator: Jacob Kirkegaard, Senior Fellow, The German Marshall Fund of the United States
The Odesa Debate: The World’s Largest Construction—Private-Sector Stakes and Perspectives

The Odesa Debate Part II: The World’s Largest Construction Project—Laying the Foundation at the London Conference 

Four weeks ahead of the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London in June, the panel will discuss what to expect and what the desired outcomes of the conference may be. At the center of the conversation will be the question of how best to incentivize investment in Ukraine and whether publicly financed “war insurance” is a useful tool.

Other priority questions along the “road to London” include: How can the states holding Russia’s frozen public assets legally direct them toward Ukraine’s reconstruction? What reforms are necessary to ensure progress and accountability? And how will civil society be included in the process?

Read our new report: Toward a Marshall Plan for Ukraine.

Speakers:

  • Introduction: Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, Guido Goldman Distinguished Fellow, The German Marshall Fund of the United States
  • Goran Buldioski, Executive Director (ad interim), Open Society–Europe and Central Asia, Open Society Foundations
  • Danae Dholakia, Special Envoy Ukraine Recovery Conference 2023, United Kingdom
  • Pierre Heilbronn, Special Envoy for Ukraine Relief and Reconstruction, France      
  • Odile Renaud-Basso, President, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  • Moderator: Maria Tadeo, Europe Correspondent, Bloomberg Television
The Odesa Debate: World’s Largest Construction Project—Laying the Foundation London Conference

Part III: Securing a New Atlanticism

 

A Conversation: The Road to Vilnius

NATO’s next summit, in Vilnius on July 11– 12, will provide the alliance with an opportunity to review the concrete steps it has taken to realize the grand ambitions it signed onto a year ago. At the Madrid Summit, NATO condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, underscored its commitment to the territorial defense of the allies, took steps to better defend the eastern flank, and adopted a new strategic concept to be ready to take on today’s unrelenting security challenges. This conversation between NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and GMF Trustee and New York Times Pentagon Correspondent Helene Cooper will explore the alliance’s achievements and challenges in an increasingly tumultuous landscape. How is the alliance stepping up to the challenge posed by Russia’s actions in Ukraine? How does the alliance augment member states’ support for Ukraine? What are the prospects for Ukraine’s eventual membership in NATO? How has the alliance improved eastern-flank defenses? How do regional defense plans fit in? Last year, the Madrid Summit Declaration named “systemic competition” from China as a concern. How is the alliance addressing current and future cooperation between Russia and China? How are NATO’s alliances, especially in the Indo-Pacific, evolving to address the increasingly global nature of threats?

 

Speakers:

Securing the New Atlanticism (Brussels Forum)

Part IV: Navigating the Global Challenges of a New Atlanticism

 

Global Swing States: Defining the Future of Transatlantic Partnerships]

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has tested the ability of the United States and Europe to engage with regional and global actors to address a global crisis. The evolution of the international order and the global balance of power have encouraged regional powers in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia to use hedging strategies as transatlantic partners seek to reinforce their network of alliances and partnerships. This is particularly relevant in the context of US-China competition, with the United States putting increasing pressure on allies and partners to align on policy. In parallel, European states tend to advocate against the logic of two opposing geopolitical blocks led by the United States and China. In this context, a successful engagement with the “Global Swing States”—states with significant leverage in the global order, but flexible preferences for cooperation— will define the future of the transatlantic partnership.

Read our report: Alliances in a Shifting Global Order: Rethinking Transatlantic Engagement with Global Swing States.

Speaker:

Global Swing States: Defining the Future of Transatlantic Partnerships

Turkey: What Now? What Next?

Turkey held presidential and parliamentary elections on May 14, 2023. The People’s Alliance, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, gained a majority in the parliament and Erdoğan got 49.5% of the votes in the presidential election, just short of the 50% required for an outright win. The top two candidates, Erdoğan and Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, will therefore compete in a second round, scheduled to take place on May 28, 2023. While Erdoğan appears set to retain his office after this second round, Kılıçdaroğlu still has a narrow path to victory and has not conceded. His supporters remain defiant.

These elections are critically important, as they are the most competitive since Erdoğan came to power in Turkey in 2002. In what ways could the outcome of these elections shape Turkey’s domestic political landscape, its foreign policy, and its relations with its transatlantic allies? To what extent would Turkey's policy regarding Russia's war against Ukraine be transformed in the event of political change, and in what way? How can Europe and the United States work with Turkey to put their trilateral relationship on a positive trajectory in the various post-election scenarios?

Speakers:

Turkey: What Now? What Next?

The Future of Transatlantic Economic Competitiveness

Ambitious new industrial strategies in the United States and Europe aimed at accelerating the green transition and “friendshoring” supply chains in critical industries have nevertheless stoked tensions among allies. These urgent challenges to the transatlantic relationship underscore the need for a shared path toward allied competitiveness. Where and how can the United States and Europe coordinate their industrial strategies to avoid costly subsidy wars? What strategies will encourage knowledge-sharing and interoperable regulatory approaches? How can Europe and the United States best nurture innovation for competitiveness and job creation? How can the transatlantic community balance tensions between competitiveness and national security in areas such as digital platforms and clean energy?

Speakers:

The Future of Transatlantic Economic Competitiveness

Part V: Navigating the Politics of a New Atlanticism

 

US Elections in 2024: Politics, Ukraine Support, and Challenges to Democracy

Experts in opinion polling and politics join this discussion around the 2024 presidential race in the United States. Presidential politics could impact the trajectory of the “New Atlanticism” and US support for Ukraine as isolationist or “America First” views and policies increasingly find favor among voters on the far right and left. At the same time, the United States is weathering serious challenges to its democracy from without and within, from persistent false narratives that undermine faith in the electoral system to increased polarization and political violence. The 2024 elections could be the tipping point that marks either a phasing out or an acceleration of current trends in the United States that will have implications for US allies, Ukraine, and the future of US democracy.

Speakers:

  • Frank Luntz, Strategist and Pollster
  • Ines Pohl, Washington, DC Bureau Chief, Deutsche Welle                    
  • Ali Velshi, Host of “Velshi” and Chief Correspondent, MSNBC                             
  • Moderator: Rachael Dean Wilson, Managing Director, Alliance for Securing Democracy and U.S. Elections & Political Analysis, The German Marshall Fund of the United States
US Elections in 2024: Politics, Ukraine Support, and Challenges to Democracy

Concluding Remarks

Remarks:

Concluding Remarks- Brussels Forum 2023