Speakers
Mr. Andrius Kubilius
European Commissioner for Defence and Space
Mr. Andrius Kubilius
European Commissioner for Defence and Space
Lord Robertson of Port Ellen
Former NATO Secretary General (1999-2003)
Lord Robertson of Port Ellen
Former NATO Secretary General (1999-2003)
Prof. Sven Biscop
Prof. Sven Biscop
Prof. Dr. Sven Biscop (born in Willebroek, Belgium in 1976) read political sciences and obtained his PhD at Ghent University, where today he is a professor, lecturing on grand strategy and great powers, and on Belgian foreign and defence policy. In addition, he is the Director of the Europe in the World Programme at the Egmont – Royal Institute for International Relations in Brussels, the think-tank associated with the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since 1 October 2025, he also is the acting Director-General of the Institute.
Sven is a Member of the Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences of Belgium, and an Honorary Fellow of the European Security and Defence College (ESDC). He is a regular speaker at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels and at the People’s University of China in Beijing, where he is a Senior Research Fellow. His two latest books are Grand Strategy in 10 Words – A Guide to Great Power Politics in the 21st Century (Bristol University Press, 2021) and This Is Not a New World Order – Europe Rediscovers Geopolitics, From Ukraine to Taiwan (Owl Press, 2024).
Sven has been honoured with the cross of Commander of the Order of the Crown of the Kingdom of Belgium and the Grand Decoration of Honour of the Republic of Austria. Sven lives in Brussels with his Taiwanese-Belgian husband Aberu, amidst a great many books, military paraphernalia, and chinoiseries. Unfortunately they travel too often to keep a cat.
Prof. Mr. Peter Slezkine Sven Biscop
Prof. Mr. Peter Slezkine Sven Biscop
Lieutenant General Sir Ralph Wooddisse
Lieutenant General Sir Ralph Wooddisse
Mr. Ed Arnold
Mr. Ed Arnold
Ambassador (ret) Arkady Mil-Man
Ambassador (ret) Arkady Mil-Man
Major General Ivan Martin
Major General Ivan Martin
Senator Dr. Col (ret) Douglas V. Mastriano
Senator Dr. Col (ret) Douglas V. Mastriano
Dr. Joris van Bladel
Dr. Joris van Bladel
Prof. Taras Kuzio
Prof. Taras Kuzio
Ms. Minna Ålander
Ms. Minna Ålander
Dr. Kristina Kallas
Dr. Kristina Kallas
Dr. Ieva Bērziņa
Dr. Ieva Bērziņa
Dr. Ieva Birka
Dr. Ieva Birka
Dr. Stefano Braghiroli
Dr. Stefano Braghiroli
Lieutenant General John Mead
Lieutenant General John Mead
Mr. Kaimo Kuusk
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence of Republic of Estonia
Mr. Kaimo Kuusk
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence of Republic of Estonia
Kaimo Kuusk assumed the position of Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of Estonia in September 2024.
Before being appointed as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Kaimo
Kuusk served as Estonia’s ambassador to Lithuania. Prior to that he was the Estonian
ambassador to Ukraine, where he coordinated the delivery of Estonia’s military aid
following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
From 1998 to 2019, Kuusk held various positions in the Estonian Foreign Intelligence
Service, with the last nine years as Deputy Director General. In 2019, he began
working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Bureau.
Kaimo Kuusk graduated from the University of Tartu with a degree in political science and furthered his education in the Civil Servants’ Course at the Baltic Defence College and the University of Oslo.
Dr. Gustav Gressel
Dr. Gustav Gressel
KAS representative
KAS representative
Ms. Marina Kaljurand
Member of the European Parliament
Ms. Marina Kaljurand
Member of the European Parliament
Mr. Kaimo Kuusk
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence of Republic of Estonia
Mr. Kaimo Kuusk
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence of Republic of Estonia
Kaimo Kuusk assumed the position of Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of Estonia in September 2024.
Before being appointed as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Kaimo
Kuusk served as Estonia’s ambassador to Lithuania. Prior to that he was the Estonian
ambassador to Ukraine, where he coordinated the delivery of Estonia’s military aid
following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
From 1998 to 2019, Kuusk held various positions in the Estonian Foreign Intelligence
Service, with the last nine years as Deputy Director General. In 2019, he began
working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Bureau.
Kaimo Kuusk graduated from the University of Tartu with a degree in political science and furthered his education in the Civil Servants’ Course at the Baltic Defence College and the University of Oslo.
Dr. Gustav Gressel
Dr. Gustav Gressel
KAS representative