Standing with Ukraine: a discussion with Rastislav Káčer

Past event LIVESTREAM

Peace, Security & Defence

13Apr2023

starts 14:00

ends 14:30

Add to Google Outlook Yahoo iCalendar

About Schedule Speakers Partners

Get in touch

About

🔴 Peace, Security and Defence Summit – what will the new security normal look like?

The continued Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has had serious geopolitical and security implications not just for Ukraine but also for the whole Euro-Atlantic community and beyond. To counter Russia’s aggression, the European Union and NATO have been standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine, providing Kyiv not only with diplomatic backing and economic aid but also crucial military support to bolster Ukraine’s defences. As a member of both the EU and NATO, Slovakia plays an important role in these efforts, hosting Ukrainian refugees, providing humanitarian aid, and delivering weapons, including MiG-29 jets, and ammunition to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In addition to examining Slovakia’s support for Ukraine, this #CriticalThinkingLive conversation with Rastislav Káčer, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, touches upon greater coordination of defence procurement on the European level to both refill NATO’s depleted warehouses and supply Ukraine with the ammunition it needs.

The discussion also delves into the future of EU defence cooperation in the light of NATO’s prominence as a key pillar of European security; Slovakia’s priorities for the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius; the role of the Slovak defence industry in ramping up ammunition production, as well as the ever closer partnership between China and Russia.

This event is available to a wider audience via livestream. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook, and join the #CriticalThinkingLive discussion!

Related content:

· Do not normalise the war

Our events include photos, audio and video recording that we might use for promotional purposes. By registering, you give your permission to use your image. Should you have any questions, please contact us.

Schedule

Speakers

An expert on transatlantic relations, defense and security issues, Rastislav Káčer was appointed the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic in September 2022. He has a rich and long-standing career, having served as Slovakia’s ambassador to the United States, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Káčer has previously served as the state secretary of Slovakia’s defense ministry, in which role he was responsible for the country’s NATO accession process. He has also represented Slovakia as a liaison officer at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. In addition to his diplomatic achievements, Káčer co-founded the influential Slovak think tank GLOBSEC.

Retiring from NATO in September 2018 after 38 years at the organisation, Jamie Shea has occupied a number of senior positions at NATO across a wide range of areas, including external relations, press and media, and policy planning. As NATO’s spokesperson, he was the face of the alliance during the Bosnia and Kosovo conflicts. He later worked as the director of policy planning in the private office of former secretary general Rasmussen during the preparation of NATO’s 2010 Strategic Concept. Shea is also a regular lecturer and conference speaker on NATO and European security affairs.

Partners