
Image credit: Melody Cook/CNAS
July 24, 2023
Did Vilnius Deliver with Kurt Volker and Douglas Lute
On July 11 and 12, NATO held its widely anticipated Vilnius Summit to discuss current functions of the alliance as well as the future of Ukrainian membership. Despite hope that NATO may provide a clearer path for Ukraine’s accession into NATO, the alliance reiterated its commitment to Ukrainian membership once allies agree and conditions are met, leaving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy upset. Despite a high emphasis on Russia's war in Ukraine, the alliance also discussed Chinese influence, defense expenditures, and cybersecurity. To discuss the key takeaways of the Vilnius Summit, Ambassador Kurt Volker and Ambassador Douglas Lute join Carisa Nietsche and Jim Townsend on the latest episode of Brussels Sprouts.
Ambassador Douglas Lute is the former U.S. Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council. He currently serves as the chair of International and Defense Practices at BGR Group.
Ambassador Kurt Volker is the former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations from 2017-2019. He is also the former U.S. Ambassador to NATO from 2008-2009. He currently serves as co-chair of the BGR’s advisory board.
More from CNAS
-
Sharper: Ukrainian Counteroffensive
With the slow progress of the Ukrainian counteroffensive this summer, observers expressed increased uncertainty regarding the conflict’s trajectory. This lack of advancement c...
By Anna Pederson, Anna Avanesyan & Charles Horn
-
The New Authoritarian Axis: Russian Relations with North Korea and Iran
This past Wednesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traveled to the Russian Far East for a summit with Vladimir Putin. After more than four hours of talks, Kim vowed to provi...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend, Hanna Notte & Markus Garlauskas
-
The Future of the Ukrainian Counter Offensive with Mike Kofman and Mark Hertling
Over the past several months, the world’s attention has been focused on the ongoing counteroffensive by the Ukrainian army. Many of Ukraine’s supporters had high hopes for thi...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend, Michael Kofman & Mark P. Hertling
-
Perseverance and Adaptation: Ukraine’s Counteroffensive at Three Months
Western support thus far has been sufficient to avert a Ukrainian defeat, and arguably has imposed a strategic defeat on Russia, but not enough to ensure a Ukrainian victory....
By Michael Kofman & Rob Lee