187th Bergedorf Round Table

Defending Peace: The Future of Deterrence and Resilience

11-12 April 2025 in Vilnius

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, coupled with its sustained use of hybrid attacks and disinformation campaigns across Europe, has disrupted decades of relative peace and stability. Exposing vulnerabilities in the Euro-Atlantic community’s ability to deter aggression and respond to hybrid threats, the war in Ukraine has underscored the importance of modernized deterrence strategies and demonstrated the necessity of rethinking resilience as a multifaceted concept, extending beyond military readiness and including the robustness of critical infrastructure, the security of supply chains and data protection, safeguards against disinformation and the strengthening of social cohesion. As a frontline state, Lithuania provides a unique vantage point, symbolizing the broader challenges and opportunities for collective security in the face of sustained geopolitical confrontation.

The 187th Bergedorf Round Table adressed how Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine reshaped the concepts of deterrence and resilience and what lessons can be drawn for the EU and NATO. What should a future-proof deterrence strategy look like, considering evolving threats such as cyber warfare, disinformation, and economic coercion? How can societal and infrastructural resilience be enhanced to withstand hybrid attacks and ensure continuity in the face of disruption? What role should innovation and emerging technologies play in shaping the next generation of deterrence and resilience measures?

The participants of the 187th Bergedorf Round Table were approximately 35 high-ranking politicians, government officials, and representatives of think tanks, academia and media from Lithuania, Germany as well as EU and NATO member states.