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HCSS at the NATO Public Forum 2025: A behind-the-scenes look at what we brought to the table

July 25, 2025

The NATO Public Forum is a public event jointly organized by NATO and the Government of the Netherlands with civil society organisations, taking place during the Summit meetings of NATO’s Heads of State and Government on 24-25 June 2025 in the city of The Hague.

The Public Forum aims to promote a better public understanding of NATO’s policies and goals and the decisions to be adopted at the Summit in The Hague, through dialogue and engagement with a unique and diverse group of stakeholders, from Heads of State and Government and Ministers, to international security experts, opinion formers, academics, journalists and young people, in a series of panel discussions, debates, and interactive sessions on various topics on NATO Summit agenda.

This year the NATO Public Forum is co-hosted by NATO with the Government of the Netherlands, in collaboration with Atlantische Commissie, The Clingendael Institute and yours truly, The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS).

HCSS also led the organisation and coordination of social media efforts from 41 institutional partners around the world, including research institutes from Canada, to North Macedonia, to New Zealand.

The main people at HCSS that were involved in the organisation of the Forum were Dr. Davis Ellison, Strategic Analyst and former strategist at NATO Allied Command Transformation (NATO ACT), Berend Kwak, Project Management Officer, and Michel Rademaker, Deputy Director.

As a co-organiser of the Forum, that meant we were responsible for organising and curating the program of the Public Forum, including coordination with the NATO Public Diplomacy Division (PDD) and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence. This included everything from deciding the topics and titles, to arranging the speakers, to drafting the content of the speaking notes, to figuring out the logistics and being on monthly, then weekly, then daily calls with the consortium of think tanks and NATO PDD in the lead up to the NATO Public Forum. We organised 25 high-level sessions over the course of the two-day event, requiring meticulous planning and execution. However, it did not stop there, this role also meant that HCSS was responsible for carrying out our panels on the days themselves and making sure everything ran smoothly. This involved a lot of behind-the-scenes work, including everything from welcoming our speakers, to briefing them in the green room, and making sure that everything was going according to the strict time schedule before ushering them on stage.

Below you will find the complete overview of the sessions that HCSS was directly responsible for organising from the lens of the professional cameras, and the exclusive behind-the-scenes looks taken by our PR team on the ground Patrick Willemsen and Stephanie Govaerts.

Day 1:

NATO’s Top Brass: The Future of the Alliance’s Deterrence and Defence

As global threats evolve, NATO continues to transform. How is the Alliance adapting to the Russia challenge and other emerging threat? What is the state of NATO’s deterrence and defence, what lessons have we learned from Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Ukraine’s resistance and responses to Russia’s wider hybrid campaign against NATO Allies and partners. A deep dive into what is needed to keep NATO credible and capable into 2035 and beyond as seen by some of the Alliance’s foremost military leaders.

Speakers:

Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chair of NATO’s Military Committee

Admiral Pierre Vandier, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation

Moderated by Teri Schultz, Freelance Correspondent, NPR and Deutsche Welle

Hosted in the Alfa Plenary Stage.

A High-Level Conversation on the United States and NATO

NATO is entering a pivotal phase: orienting itself to ensure it preserves its strength and relevance amid shifting geopolitical dynamics. What future role will the United States play in NATO? How are Allies living up to their security commitments? And what is expected as leaders gather at today’s NATO Summit? Tune in for a strategic conversation on transatlantic solidarity, strategic vision, and what it takes to remain the world’s most successful Alliance.

Speaker:

Matthew Whitaker, Permanent Representative of the United States to NATO

Moderated by Florence Gaub, Director, Research Division, NATO Defense College

Hosted in the Alfa Plenary Stage.

Addressing the Threat of Terrorism

Terrorism, instability and regional fragility continue to pose urgent challenges across the Middle East, North Africa, and the Sahel with direct implications for Allied security. How can NATO partnerships in its southern neighbourhood address the intertwined security, demographic and economic drivers behind this challenge? How to respond to the growing relevance of cyber terrorism and hybrid conflict?

Speakers:

Beatrice de Graaf, Distinguished Faculty Professor, University of Utrecht
Marc Hecker, Deputy Director, IFRI
Tacan İldem, Chairman, EDAM

Moderated by Ikenna Azuike, Broadcaster

Hosted in the Bravo Studio.

Future-proofing the Alliance

From Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific, the character of conflict and competition is evolving rapidly, driven by technology, hybrid threats and faster adaptation cycles. What will future wars look like and how should NATO respond? What capabilities are critical to deter and win battles in the future? How can Allies balance the urgent need to modernise with long-term innovation? What are the wider ramifications of defence transformation, tech-driven warfare and the investments needed to keep NATO at the cutting edge?

Speakers:

Bastian Giegerich, Director-General and Chief Executive, IISS
Kathleen McInnis, CSIS Director of Smart Women, Smart Power, and Senior Fellow, Defence and Security Department
Olivier Schmitt, Professor and Head of Research at the Institute for Military Operations, Royal Danish Defence College
Tim Sweijs, Director of Research, The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS)

Moderated by Ikenna Azuike, Broadcaster

Hosted in the Bravo Studio.

Day 2:

Great Expectations: Looking Ahead at Today’s North Atlantic Council

As the North Atlantic Council prepares to convene, this session looks forward to the conversations transatlantic leaders will have and the decision in play. What is at stake politically and strategically on day two of the Summit? What will a successful outcome look like for NATO and for its citizens?

Speakers:

Liana Fix, Fellow for Europe, Council on Foreign Relations
Camille Grand, Distinguished Policy Fellow, ECFR
Rem Korteweg, Senior Research Fellow, Clingendael Institute
Rob de Wijk, Founder, The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS)

Moderated by Ikenna Azuike, Broadcaster

Hosted in the Bravo Studio.

Building an Alliance Defence Industrial Base

As NATO Allies boost defence spending, the need for greater industrial capacity has become urgent. How can nations work together to scale production, reduce fragmentation in Europe’s defence sector and build a stronger transatlantic defence industrial base? What are the practical steps needed to align supply chains, streamline procurement and foster innovation across borders?

Speakers:

Impulse Statement by Tarja Jaakkola, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment

Haluk Görgün, Secretary of Defence Industries, Turkey

Andris Sprūds, Minister of Defence, Latvia

Ruben Brekelmans, Minister of Defence, The Netherlands

Theo Francken, Minister of Defence, Belgium

Moderated by Ravi Agrawal, Editor-in-Chief, Foreign Policy Magazine

Hosted in the Alfa Plenary Stage.

Scaling Technology on the Modern Battlefield

From AI and quantum to biotech and autonomous systems, emerging and disruptive technologies are transforming the battlefield. This session explores how these innovations are reshaping NATO’s capabilities and operational edge. We will look at how NATO supports the development of new technologies through initiatives like the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) and the NATO Innovation Fund. Leading companies will showcase breakthrough technologies, highlighting defence relevance and broader applications across the Alliance for the future of tech-driven defence.

Speakers:

Ryan Benitez, Chief Commercial Officer, Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA)
Ricardo Mendes, CEO, Tekever
Stephan Rutten, CEO, Lobster Robotics

Moderated by Ikenna Azuike, Broadcaster

Hosted in the Bravo Studio.

A 360-degree Perspective for the Alliance

Amidst regional complexity and evolving threats, how should NATO adapt its posture across key theatres? How can the Alliance manage security concerns in the High North, where climate change and great power competition are reshaping security dynamics. Additionally, we will discuss the Western Balkans, where hybrid threats and instability challenge resilience. NATO’s southern neighbourhood will be discussed too, where interconnected security, demographic, and economic pressures call for renewed engagement. These conversations will bring focused insight into NATO’s regional strategies and what it will take to remain agile and effective at 360 degrees.