Three overlapping geopolitical crises in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and East Asia have put the European security and defence question back on the political agenda: Is the EU ready and capable to defend its interests and its principles in a more competitive and aggressive world? And does it have a credible fallback option, should the transatlantic cooperation falter in the years to come?

The 24th Foreign Policy Conference of the Heinrich Böll Foundation focusses on current debates around the future of the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy with special emphasis on the outlook for a post-national European Security Order, including an EU Army and an independent EU nuclear deterrent.

Another focus of the Expert conference is the search for a new balance in transatlantic burden sharing in three crisis regions: the Western Balkans, the Indo-Pacific and Ukraine. How much US engagement is still needed, and which role can Europe play for the security of these regions?