Photo: Körber-Stiftung / David Ausserhofer

Berlin Foreign Policy Forum 2023

Of Paradigms and Power Shifts: Steering Through a Contested International Order

The global landscape is marked by growing gaps, leading to upheavals in Germany’s foreign policy on three levels: domestically in a redefinition of its international role, within a changing European continent and in global power relations. The war in Ukraine is forcing Germany to readjust its foreign policy paradigm both at home and abroad. In a Europe facing existential questions, a power shift to Central and Eastern Europe is reshaping multilateral decision-making. Simultaneously, the global competition of narratives, the increasing influence of emerging middle powers and growing tensions between the US and China demand decisive and strategic action.

As Germany navigates these power shifts, it faces difficult questions: Is Berlin willing to deliver on its promises to lead Europe? What could a new paradigm for Germany look like? How can Europe define its role in an increasingly competitive international environment?

These and other questions were discussed at the Berlin Foreign Policy Forum on 28 November 2023 under the title “Of Paradigms and Power Shifts: Steering Through a Contested International Order”.

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Berlin Foreign Policy Forum 2023: Welcome Addresses Source: YouTube/Körber-Stiftung

Selected Speakers

  • Photo: BÜNDNIS 90/GRÜNE
  • Photo: Jurijus Azanovas
  • Photo: BMVg/Jankowski
  • Photo: Jonathan Sarago
  • Photo: Mr. Rahul, O&M Section NITI Aayog
  • Photo: ANASTASiiA Sirotkina, КМУ

Agenda

09:00 – 10:00
Welcome Addresses

  • Thomas Paulsen, Member of the Executive Board, Körber-Stiftung
  • Annalena Baerbock, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Federal Republic of Germany
  • Gabrielius Landsbergis, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Lithuania

Moderator: Tina Hassel, Editor in Chief, ARD Capital Studio, Berlin

Welcome Adresses delivered by Annalena Baerbock, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Federal Republic of Germany and followed by Gabrielius Landsbergis, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Lithuania. Moderation by Tina Hassel, Editor in Chief, ARD Capital Studio, Berlin.
Welcome Adresses delivered by Annalena Baerbock, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Federal Republic of Germany and followed by Gabrielius Landsbergis, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Lithuania. Moderation by Tina Hassel, Editor in Chief, ARD Capital Studio, Berlin. Photo: David Ausserhofer

10:00 – 10:45
Networking Breakfast

10:45 – 12:00
Of Paradigms and Power Shifts

  • CHEN Dingding, Professor, International Relations, Jinan University, Guangzhou
  • Ottilia Anna Maunganidze, Head of Special Projects, Office of the Executive Director, Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Pretoria; Munich Young Leader 2017
  • Shamika Ravi, Member, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister; Secretary, Government of India, New Delhi
  • Daniela Schwarzer, Member of the Executive Board, Bertelsmann Stiftung, Berlin

Moderator: Sarah Pagung, Programme Director International Affairs, Körber-Stiftung

Of Paradigms and Power Shifts - Sarah Pagung, Ottilia Anna Maunganidze, Shamika Ravi, CHEN Dingding, Daniela Schwarzer
Of Paradigms and Power Shifts - Sarah Pagung, Ottilia Anna Maunganidze, Shamika Ravi, CHEN Dingding, Daniela Schwarzer Photo: David Ausserhofer

12:00 – 13:45
Lunch Break

12:45 – 13:30
Breakout Session 1 – Great Power Rivalries’ Next Frontier: The Militarization of Space

  • Andrea Rotter, Head, Foreign and Security Policy, Academy for Politics and Current Affairs, Hanns Seidel Foundation, Munich
  • First Comment: Niklas Nienaß, MEP, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, European Parliament, Brussels

Moderator: Leslie Schübel, Programme Manager International Affairs, Körber-Stiftung

12:45 – 13:30
Breakout Session 2 – Of Friends and Foes: Unpacking Russian-Iranian Cooperation

  • Emile Hokayem, Director, Regional Security, The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), London; Munich Young Leader 2014
  • First Comment: Hanna Notte, Director, Eurasia Nonproliferation Program, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey

Moderator: Anna Zimmer, Programme Manager International Affairs, Körber-Stiftung

12:45 – 13:30
Breakout Session 3 – United by Values, Divided on China? A Transatlantic Perspective

In Cooperation with Pew Research Center
Presentation of The Berlin Pulse 2023/24 Survey Results

  • Alicia García-Herrero, Senior Fellow, Bruegel, Brussels
  • Jonathan Lehrer, Programme Manager International Affairs, Körber-Stiftung
  • Jacob Poushter, Associate Director, Pew Research Center, Washington D.C.

Moderator: Daniel Ortega, Programme Manager International Affairs, Körber-Stiftung

13:45 – 14:15
Spotlight Interview:
Evaluating Germany’s Zeitenwende in an Era of Global Crises

In Cooperation with DER SPIEGEL

  • Boris Pistorius, Federal Minister of Defence, Federal Republic of Germany

Moderator: Britta Sandberg, Paris Bureau Chief, DER SPIEGEL

Spotlight Interview: Evaluating Germany’s Zeitenwende in an Era of Global Crises - Boris Pistorius, Britta Sandberg
Spotlight Interview: Evaluating Germany’s Zeitenwende in an Era of Global Crises - Boris Pistorius, Britta Sandberg Photo: David Ausserhofer

14:15 – 15:00
Put to the Test: Transatlantic Relations in a Contested World Order

Including The Berlin Pulse Survey Results

  • Anne-Marie Slaughter, Chief Executive Officer, New America, Washington D.C.; Richard C. Holbrooke Fellow, Class of Fall 2023, American Academy in Berlin
  • First Comment: Michael Link, MdB, Coordinator of Transatlantic Cooperation, Federal Foreign Office, Germany

Moderator: Julia Ganter, Programme Director International Affairs; Editor, The Berlin Pulse, Körber-Stiftung

Put to the Test: Transatlantic Relations in a Contested World Order - Julia Ganter, Anne-Marie Slaughter
Put to the Test: Transatlantic Relations in a Contested World Order - Julia Ganter, Anne-Marie Slaughter Photo: David Ausserhofer

15:00 – 16:00
The Future of Europe: Shifting East?

  • Laurence Boone, Minister of State for Europe, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Paris [virtual]
  • Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, MP, Chair, Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the European Union, Verkhovna Rada (Parliament of Ukraine), Kyiv [virtual]
  • Anna Lührmann, Minister of State for Europe and Climate, Federal Foreign Office, Berlin
  • Marko Mihkelson, MP, Chair, Foreign Affairs Committee, Estonian Reform Party Parliamentary Group, Riigikogu (Parliament of the Republic of Estonia), Tallinn

Moderator: Alisa Vogt, Programme Director International Affairs, Körber-Stiftung

The Future of Europe: Shifting East? Alisa Vogt, Anna Lührmann, Marko Mihkelson, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze
The Future of Europe: Shifting East? Alisa Vogt, Anna Lührmann, Marko Mihkelson, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze Photo: David Ausserhof

16:00 – 16:30
Coffee Break

16:30 – 17:10
Körber Global Leaders Dialogue

  • Maia Sandu, President, Republic of Moldova [virtual]
  • First Comment: Johannes Schraps, MdB, Committee on European Union Affairs and Finance Committee, SPD Parliamentary Group, German Bundestag

Moderator: Nora Müller, Executive Director International Affairs, Körber-Stiftung

Körber Global Leaders Dialogue - Maia Sandu
Körber Global Leaders Dialogue - Maia Sandu Photo: David Ausserhofer

17:10 – 17:50
Middle East on the Brink: What Role for Europe?

  • Luigi Di Maio, EU Special Representative for the Gulf Region, European Union, Brussels; fmr Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Republic of Italy
  • Norbert Röttgen, MdB, Committee on Foreign Affairs, CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group, German Bundestag

Moderator: Magdalena Kirchner, Director, Yemen & Gulf Cooperation Council, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Amman

Middle East on the Brink: What Role for Europe? Luigi Di Maio, Norbert Röttgen, Magdalena Kirchner
Middle East on the Brink: What Role for Europe? Luigi Di Maio, Norbert Röttgen, Magdalena Kirchner Photo: David Ausserhofer

17:50 – 18:25
Conflict Zone

In Cooperation with DW

  • Oleksii Makeiev, Ambassador, Embassy of Ukraine to the Federal Republic of Germany, Berlin

Moderator: Sarah Kelly, Host Conflict Zone, DW, Berlin

Conflict Zone - Oleksii Makeiev, Sarah Kelly
Conflict Zone - Oleksii Makeiev, Sarah Kelly Photo: David Ausserhofer

18:25 – 18:30
Closing Remarks

  • Thomas Paulsen, Member of the Executive Board, Körber-Stiftung
  • The Berlin Pulse 2023/24
    The Berlin Pulse 2023/24 Photo: David Ausserhofer
  • Welcome Addresses by Annalena Baerbock.
    Welcome Addresses by Annalena Baerbock. Photo: David Ausserhofer
  • Körber-Stiftung team
    Körber-Stiftung team Photo: David Ausserhofer