Europe and America: Where are we and where are we going?
Ambassadors Forum, presented in partnership with the American Academy of Diplomacy and co-sponsored by the Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia (WCEE)
Click here to registerSpeaker
Rose Gottemoeller, Catherine A. Novelli, Ronald E. Neumann, John R. BeyrleDate & time
Location
About the Event:
Since the end of World War II, the United States and Europe have been closely tied together. American security ties with Europe were a fundamental part of overall US security during the Cold War. Europe is the United States’ largest trading partner. The development of Europe after the war has been, and continues to be, a key part of America's prosperity for 70 years. Are things changing now? What will the security relationship between the US and Europe look like going forward? What is Russia's place? How will the US balance its relations between Russia and Europe? The Ambassadors Forum will tackle some of the most central issues in this paradigm.
- The US and NATO:
NATO was essentially a US creation. What is its status now in an era when Russia seems to threaten the West and alleges that it, in turn, is threatened by NATO expansion? Can NATO survive whatever outcome there is from the Russo-Ukrainian war and the Trump Administration’s approach to funding the alliance? The Honorable Rose Gottemoeller will reflect on this complex interplay of subjects.
- The US and Europe:
The EU has expanded enormously since its hesitant first days in the coal and steel community. It is now a significant economic force, somewhat weakened by Great Britain's departure. Yet while the European Union is more than a collection of states, it remains less than a union. Changing American policies are straining ties with Europe just as they are straining those with NATO. The Honorable Catherine Novelli will discuss the size and importance of the US-EU relationship and reflect on where it may be going.
- The US and Russia:
The US and Russia were enemies throughout the Cold War, briefly cooperating colleagues for a short period afterward, and then increasingly estranged. What shape is the relationship in now, and where does it seem to go? Ambassador John Beyerle will reflect on the continuing evolution of US-Russian relations.
Event Speakers:
Ambassador Rose Gottemoeller:
Rose Gottemoeller served as NATO's Deputy Secretary General from 2016 to 2019, following nearly five years as the U.S. Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security. In this role, she advised the Secretary of State on arms control, nonproliferation, and political-military issues. She also concurrently served as Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance (2009–2014), where she led negotiations for the New START treaty with Russia, which took effect in 2011. Her work focused on international security cooperation, peacekeeping policy, and post-conflict weapons abatement, especially in Europe and Asia.
Earlier in her career, Gottemoeller held key roles at the U.S. Department of Energy, overseeing nuclear nonproliferation efforts with Russia and other former Soviet states. She also worked with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, including as Director of the Carnegie Moscow Center. Her experience includes time on the National Security Council, at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, and as a social scientist at RAND. An expert in Russian security and fluent in Russian, she has taught at Georgetown University. Born in Columbus, Ohio, she holds degrees from Georgetown and George Washington University and is married to retired diplomat Raymond Arnaudo.
Ambassador Catherine A. Novelli:
Catherine A. Novelli is a Senior Advisor at Shearwater Global and President of Listening for America, a non-profit focused on reshaping U.S. international trade policy. She also teaches at Georgetown University and served as a Centennial Fellow there from 2018–2019. From 2014 to 2017, she was Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, where she promoted open markets and led significant initiatives like the Our Ocean movement, which secured $10 billion for ocean conservation, and the Global Connect Initiative, aimed at bringing internet access to 1.5 billion people.
Before her government role, Novelli was Vice President of Worldwide Government Affairs at Apple Inc., managing global public policy. She also worked at the law firm Mayer Brown International and spent much of her earlier career at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. There, she played a major role in trade agreements with countries in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, including key deals with Jordan, Morocco, Bahrain, and Oman. Novelli sits on the boards of the National Wildlife Federation and National Geographic’s Pristine Seas Initiative and has received multiple honors, including the State Department Distinguished Service Award. She holds degrees from Tufts University, the University of Michigan Law School, and the University of London.
Ambassador John R.Beyrle:
Ambassador John Beyrle, elected Chairman of the U.S. Russia Foundation in October 2018, served over three decades as a U.S. diplomat with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and the former Soviet Union. He was appointed ambassador to Bulgaria (2005–2008) and Russia (2008–2012), where he played a key role in strengthening U.S.-Russia relations through the signing of the START treaty, supporting Russia’s entry into the World Trade Organization, and easing visa restrictions. Beyrle also held senior diplomatic roles in Moscow, Prague, and Washington, including as deputy chief of mission and director for Russian, Ukrainian, and Eurasian affairs on the National Security Council.
In addition to his diplomatic service, Beyrle served as a special adviser to the Secretary of State, participated in arms control negotiations, and was a staff officer for Secretaries of State George Shultz and James Baker. He also advised Senator Paul Simon as a Pearson Fellow. His distinguished service earned him honors from both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, as well as Secretary Hillary Clinton. Beyrle retired from the Foreign Service in 2012 and now provides consulting services to nonprofit and corporate clients. A Michigan native, he holds degrees from Grand Valley State University and the National War College, where he also taught. He speaks five languages and is married to retired Foreign Service officer Jocelyn Greene. They have two daughters.
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