Lennart Meri Conference 2023
12-14 May 2023 · Radisson Collection Hotel, Tallinn
Three days packed with insights by distinguished policymakers, analysts, politicians, military officials and academia from around the globe in Tallinn, Estonia. Key foreign and security policy issues discussed mostly from the perspective of the northern and eastern parts of Europe.
Some key messages
Recaps
Articles
Nordic-Baltic Security without the United States?
When the Nordic and Baltic states joined NATO, whether in 1949, 2004, 2023, or 2024, the decision was primarily grounded in a desire to have the United States as an Ally. It was the transatlantic security ties to the global superpower and its extended conventional…
How to Resist Russia’s Covert War Against the West
In parallel with the continuation of the military intervention in Ukraine, Russia has intensified its non-military aggression in western countries, using the entire spectrum of covert actions: from supporting political proxies and propaganda, to the formation of paramilitary organisations and conducting sabotage actions against critical…
Seizing the Opportunity to Enhance Intelligence-Policy Relations
The unusual geopolitical moment created by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and, now, by the shift in official US policy and tone present enormous challenges for Europe’s political leaders, national security officials, and intelligence professionals. But the troubling times also offer a once-in-a-generation opportunity to…
Trump, Silicon Valley, and Europe’s Far-right
A new transatlantic alliance is forming. The old partnership was based on advancing liberal democracy, upholding the rules-based international order, and a security contract between the US and Europe. It is being replaced by one based on ultra-conservative values, autocratic tendencies, and nativism.
Learning from Ukraine: Failing to Manage Risk Guarantees Failure
If I have learned anything from the war in Ukraine, it is that national security professionals love the word “risk.” They talk about managing risk, escalation risk, and the risk of miscalculation. But if you poll them, you might hear dozens of different definitions of…
European Energy Policy in a Time of Crisis
The focus of European energy policy, for at least the last decade, has been the energy transition, with renewables playing a central role. Given the threats posed by climate change, this focus was understandable. However, such a policy is inadequate in an extreme crisis, when…
Media coverage
Lennart Meri Conference is the place to meet for invited journalists and distinguished thought-leaders, politicians and military personnel from around the globe in Tallinn, Estonia.
Speakers
Kaja Kallas
Christopher G Cavoli
Fiona Hill
Karel Řehka
Constanze Stelzenmüller
Greg Yudin
Akiko Fukushima
Supporters and Partners
About Lennart Meri Conference
“We can never have too much security,” said President Lennart Meri. To mark his continuing legacy in foreign and security policy thinking, the annual Lennart Meri Conference aims to encourage curiosity and debate, highlight unity and diversity, and foster liberty and democracy.