- December 10, 2025
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- December 10, 2025
On December 10, 2025, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom and Aspen Germany convened high-level experts from both sides of the Atlantic to assess the future of transatlantic relations at a time of growing geopolitical and economic uncertainty. Against the backdrop of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, shifting U.S. strategic priorities, and rising economic frictions, the conference explored whether Europe and the United States are moving toward strategic divergence or can chart a shared path forward.
The first panel focused on transatlantic security, examining the balance between burden sharing and burden shifting within NATO and beyond. Speakers discussed Europe’s growing defense efforts, the limits of European deterrence without the United States, and lingering doubts about Washington’s long-term security commitments amid a stronger U.S. focus on the Indo-Pacific. The discussion brought together Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Security and Defense, Claudia Major, Senior Vice President for Transatlantic Security at the German Marshall Fund, Tyson Barker, Senior Associate Fellow at DGAP, and Rachel Rizzo, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council. Together, they debated Europe’s readiness for a more volatile security environment and the future credibility of the transatlantic alliance .
The second panel turned to the transatlantic economy, where cooperation is increasingly strained by protectionist policies, industrial subsidies, and competing regulatory approaches. While the United States has once again become Germany’s most important trading partner, rising tariffs and a more state-driven economic strategy in Washington are reshaping economic relations. Panelists Michael Georg Link, Deputy Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Melanie Vogelbach, Head of International Economic Policy at DIHK, Ken Levinson, CEO of the Washington International Trade Association, and Hubertus Bardt, Managing Director of the German Economic Institute, discussed the implications for global markets, supply chains, and Europe’s economic resilience. The panel explored how Europe can respond strategically – balancing openness with protection, and cooperation with competitiveness.
Across both panels, moderated by Aspen Germany Executive Director Stormy-Annika Mildner, the conference underscored a shared conclusion: while transatlantic ties remain indispensable for Europe’s security and prosperity, they can no longer be taken for granted. Sustaining the partnership will require greater European responsibility, clearer strategic choices, and renewed political effort on both sides of the Atlantic.
