Russia's war of aggression is turning the European security order upside down. Strategies like “Change through rapprochement” or “Change through trade” are fundamentally challenged. Security, peace and freedom in Europe have to be reconsidered and simultaneously defended. The war comes at a time when Europe is challenged to redefine its role as a geopolitical actor in an increasingly multipolar world.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke three days after the attack of a “Zeitenwende”. This poses old and new questions: What does a new security order in Europe look like? How can we strengthen Europe as a geopolitical player and assert European values in close cooperation with our partners? Why is the climate-neutral transformation of our economy and society an opportunity to make Europe more independent and stronger in the long term?
We want to discuss these and other questions at the Tiergarten Conference 2022 "Zeitenwende: Into a New Era" on 21 June 2022 in the premises of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.
You can read Lars Klingbeil's speech here.
Konstantin Bärwaldt
Konstantin.Baerwaldt
(at)fes.de
Susanne Böhme
Susanne.Boehme(at)fes.de
Sabine Fandrych, Executive Member of the Board of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
Lars Klingbeil, Party Chairman of the SPD
What are the central guidelines for social democracy in changing times?
Moderation: Nana Brink, Journalist
Break
The Russian attack on Ukraine has brought the EU closer together. Tough sanctions packages and rapid non-bureaucratic support for the government in Kiev were implemented. But the EU's weakness in security policy became clearly visible. How can the Union learn the right lessons from this crisis? How do we strengthen the EU's ability to act and its sovereignty externally?
Keynote Christine Lambrecht, German Federal Minister of Defense
Discussion with:
Moderation: Christos Katsioulis, FES Vienna
The ecological transformation of Europe with good jobs and an innovative economy is a basis for more cohesion and common strength for Europe. Functioning welfare states, strong and well-fortified democracies and a secure cyberspace are the hallmark of Europe. How can this be made secure in an increasingly conflict-ridden world?
11:45 Keynote Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice President for a European Green Deal (transformation, socially just change)
Discussion with:
Moderation: Julia Bläsius, FES Berlin
Lunch Break
The turn of the times is not just a European phenomenon. Food speculation and rising energy prices are directly affecting the global South. But trust in European solidarity has dwindled, because in many of these countries the West stands for double standards and the one-sided pursuit of interests. How can the EU, how can Germany, forge fair alliances and initiate a new form of globalized cooperation?
These changing times are not just shifting the foreign political situation in Europe. Other regions of the world are also directly feeling the consequences of the war: speculation in food and rising energy prices are hitting the global south hard. Many countries have the feeling that they are invisible to Europe. Other actors are exploiting this vacuum to expend their own influence. Europe needs to find an answer to this and meet the interests of the global south at eye level – also so that it can secure its own strategic aims. How can the EU and Germany form fair alliances and initiate a new form of globalised coexistence that has advantages for both sides?
Keynote: Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for Economic Co-operation and Development
Discussion with:
Moderation: Valeska Hesse, FES Latin America
The changing times are ringing in a new, uncertain and conflicted world order in which it will be crucial for Europe to bring its confident security policy sovereignty, its established internal strengths and alliances to bear. For the European social model will need to stand firm against these conflicts. How can Europe prevent itself from becoming a plaything of great powers and instead play a part in setting the rules of the game on the basis of its own values and interests?
Discussion with:
Moderation: Nana Brink, Journalist
Martin Schulz, President Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
End of the conference
With its annual Conference at the Tiergarten, the FES has since 2012 beein aiming to address and highlight new trends in international affairs. Drawing on its extensive global network of offices in around 100 countries, the FES seeks to facilitate dialogue between decision-makers, decision-shapers and decision-takers from around the world on some of the key topics of our times.
While FES’s international activities usually proceed without too much publicity, the Tiergarten conference is meant to combine an in-depth expert conference with a wider outreach to the public. To this end, a live debate between Members of Parliament, experts and civil society will bring the crucial questions of global governance and international politics to the attention of a broader German audience at the end of the conference.
The Tiergarten – A Venue for International Affairs and home of FES’s International Headquarters.