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The Russian invasion of Ukraine and growing scepticism about the reliability of the United States in security matters have reignited the debate on Europe taking responsibility for its own security. Almost all NATO member states have increased their defence spending – a step currently supported by a majority of the population across all these countries. Yet public acceptance is not unlimited. According to the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung's Security Radar, clear majorities prioritise social and economic investment over defence when confronted with competing objectives.
People’s sense of security is not solely derived from military strength but also from social stability, economic security and democratic resilience. Distributional conflicts are already emerging in many states – exacerbated by fiscal constraints and social tensions.
In the long term, European defence policy will only be viable if it is transparent, efficient and deemed legitimate by society. This raises a number of questions:
These were some of the questions addressed at the Tiergarten Conference 2025. The ensuing discussions contributed to a security and defence debate that was strategically oriented, European in scope, and progressive in outlook.
Participation was by invitation only.
Sebastian Hartmann: Defending what Europe is all about
Length: 1:05 minutes
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Mary Kaldor: We have to question deterrence
Length: 2:02 minutes
Adis Ahmetović: Peace requires strength and resilience
Length: 0:35 minutes
Martin Schulz: Europe needs its own strength
Length: 0:33 minutes
Hélène Conway-Mouret: Security is part of everyday life
Length: 1:13 minutes
Dan Carden: Community strengthens security
Length: 0:27 minutes
Martin Schulz, President of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
Keynote: Sebastian Hartmann, Parliamentary State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Defence
on behalf of Boris Pistorius, German Federal Minister of Defence
Moderation: Konstantin Bärwaldt, Head of Department for Global and European Policy, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
Keynote: Mircea Geoană, former NATO Deputy Secretary General
Bronius Bieliauskas, Vice-minister of National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania
Siemtje Möller, Member of the German Bundestag, Deputy Chair of the SPD Parliamentary Group in the German Bundestag
Dan Carden, Member of the British Parliament, Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee
Moderation: Marcel Röthig, Resident Representative for Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space
Philip Jan Schäfer, Co-Director of the German Wargaming Center at Helmut-Schmidt-Universität / Universität der Bundeswehr Hamburg
Joseph Verbovszky, Co-Director of the German Wargaming Center and Research Fellow at the Defense AI Observatory (DAIO)
Hélène Conway-Mouret, Member of the French Senate, Vice-Chairwoman of the Senate's Foreign Affairs, Defense and Armed Forces Committee
Christoph Schmid, Member of the German Bundestag, Member of the Defence Committee in the German Bundestag
Neil Melvin, Director, International Security at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
Moderation: Adrienne Woltersdorf, Resident Representative of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung France
Mary Kaldor, Director of the Conflict Research Programme, London School of Economics and Political Science
Adis Ahmetović, Member of the German Bundestag, Foreign Policy Spokesperson of the SPD Parliamentary Group in the German Bundestag
Lukas Mengelkamp, Researcher in the ‘Arms Control and New Technologies’ program at the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy (IFSH) at the University of Hamburg
Sophia Besch, Senior Fellow in the Europe Programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Moderation: Heljä Ossa, Research Fellow, London School of Economics and Political Science
Mary Kaldor
Siemtje Möller
Sebastian Hartmann
Peer Teschendorf
Susanne Böhme
The Tiergarten Conference is the annual international foreign and security policy conference of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. Since 2012, international experts and political decision-makers have come together every year in expert discussions and public events to analyse strategic issues and develop progressive options for action. With its public events, the Tiergarten Conference makes the results of these discussions accessible to a broad public and thus contributes to a differentiated debate on foreign and security policy in Germany. The Tiergarten - a place of international relations and the seat of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung's international work.
Analyses, publications, events and projects from the worldwide work of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.
NATO is stronger than it has been for a long time! But is it also united? Mapping national debates on NATO in 14 member states and selected non-member states.
Security Radar provides a realistic picture of public perception regarding current geopolitical challenges and security threats.
