The United States and Central Europe: What’s Gone Right, What’s Gone Wrong, and What’s Next

Ambassador Daniel Fried, Distinguished Fellow, Atlantic Council In 2019 we mark several anniversaries that helped us build a Europe whole and free with Central European nations an integral part of it, including: one hundred years of relations between the United States and the countries of Central Europe that emerged from the horror of the First World War; thirty years since the overthrow of communism and the fall of the Iron Curtain; twenty years since the first NATO enlargement beyond the Iron Curtain; and fifteen years since the EU enlargement beyond the Iron Curtain and NATO's "Big Bang" expansion. Our achievements must be celebrated but many challenges lie ahead. The conference will celebrate US-Central European relations while also galvanizing a community of leaders to strengthen these ties for the future. Furthermore, we will use this opportunity to launch a flagship report on US-Central European relations co-authored by the Atlantic Council and GLOBSEC.