NATO and Its Seismic Challenges 

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently said that Europe is facing its biggest security crisis in decades as Russia places 100,000 troops at the Ukrainian border. To add additional tension to an already tumultuous situation, Russia and Belarus have started 10 days of joint military drills. This is obviously a point of concern as Belarus is a close ally of Russia and has a long border with Ukraine.

The ongoing threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine has placed increased importance on NATO’s defenses across eastern Europe.  American troops have recently arrived at Rzeszow military based in southeastern Poland to help reinforce NATO allies as concerns rise surrounding Russia’s aggressive actions to undermine Euro-Atlantic security.

NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said “Russia has a choice: they can either choose a diplomatic solution – and we’re ready to sit down – but if they choose confrontation, they will pay a higher price,” showing that it remains a strong and strategic partner in Europe, influencing diplomatic, military, and defense decisions to support rules-based international order.

However, challenges remains for NATO as it continues to deal with threats and challenges from all directions, including state and non-state actors, military forces, terrorists, cyber attacks, and more.

 

 

 

Join the World Affairs Council of Charlotte and The NC Zeitgeist Foundation on Tuesday, March 1, 2022 with LTG (R) Ben Hodges, Former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe and Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), as he shares his expert insight into NATO’s role in Europe, national security and defense from a European perspective, and America’s defense and military role in the world. 

 

 

 

Program Information: 

Date:
Tuesday, March 1, 2022
VIP Reception:
11:30 – 12:00 PM ET
Lunch & Presentation: 
12:00 – 1:30 PM E.T.
Location:
Hilton Charlotte Center City Directions
Cost:
$40 (WACC Member Rate)
$55 (Non-Member Rate)
$30 (WACC Student Member / Teacher Member / YPWACC Member Rate)

  • Please call 704-687-7762 for credit card payments over the phone.
  • Checks can be mailed to “World Affairs Council of Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., CHHS 227, Charlotte, NC 28223.

 

 

 

Biography: 

Lieutenant General (Retired) Ben Hodges holds the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis. He joined CEPA in February 2018.

A native of Quincy, Florida, General Hodges graduated from the United States Military Academy in May 1980 and was commissioned in the Infantry.

After his first assignment as an Infantry Lieutenant in Garlstedt, Germany, he commanded Infantry units at the Company, Battalion, and Brigade levels in the 101st Airborne Division, including Command of the First Brigade Combat Team “Bastogne” of the 101st Airborne Division in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (2003-2004). His other operational assignments include Chief of Operations for Multi-National Corps-Iraq in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (2005-2006) and Director of Operations, Regional Command South in Kandahar, Afghanistan (2009-2010).

General Hodges has also served in a variety of Joint and Army Staff positions to include Tactics Instructor; Chief of Plans, 2nd Infantry Division in Korea; Aide-de-Camp to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe; Chief of Staff, XVIII Airborne Corps; Director of the Pakistan Afghanistan Coordination Cell on the Joint Staff; Chief of Legislative Liaison for the United States Army; and Commander, NATO Allied Land Command (İzmir, Turkey). His last military assignment was as Commanding General, United States Army Europe (Wiesbaden, Germany) from 2014 to 2017. He retired from the U.S. Army in January 2018.