Third workshop of the German-American Dialogue: “Transatlantic Cooperation in the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood”
From 14 to 15 June 2017 the third workshop of the German-American Dialogue on the Post-Soviet Space was held at the premises of the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) in Washington D.C., under the title: “Transatlantic Cooperation in the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood – Old challenges, New Policies?”. The event successfully facilitated an open and much-needed discussion between a dedicated group of 50 stakeholders, policymakers and practitioners working on important geostrategic challenges and issues impacting Germany, the European Union and Europe’s Eastern neighborhood.
Over the course of two days, the participants heard different perspectives on the major obstacles to transformation in the Eastern Partnership countries, including in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, and identified areas of cooperation that would be better served by a more systematic and coordinated Transatlantic approach. Concrete suggestions were articulated for how Transatlantic partners can continue to progress and advance their interests in Eastern Europe, support greater Euro-Atlantic integration and address Russia’s destabilizing agenda. Given the shifting power structures in Washington and Europe it became clear, that a focused dialogue is needed to bridge growing gaps and perceptions between the new Administration in Washington and European allies.
The workshop was the third of four workshops in the framework of the German-American Dialogue on the post-Soviet space. The project is realized in cooperation with the German Marshall Fund of the United States, with support of the Transatlantik-Programm of the Federal Republic of Germany funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) through means of the European Recovery Program (ERP). The next workshop in the series will be held in November this year in Berlin.