US & EU Barcelona Meeting - Securing Tomorrow’s Alliance: Re-imagining Transatlantic Security in a Changing World

5th US & EU Barcelona Meeting

2026. Securing Tomorrow’s Alliance: Re-imagining Transatlantic Security in a Changing World

March, 26th – 4.30–8.00pm

Auditori de La Pedrera, Passeig de Gràcia, 92, 08008 Barcelona

In June 2025, NATO leaders met in the Hague to discuss the future of the Alliance at a moment of profound geopolitical uncertainty. The very fact that the summit proceeded underscored a broad political will across the Atlantic to keep NATO strong and united. Leaders reaffirmed collective commitment, while acknowledging that the distribution of responsibilities within the Alliance is evolving. One of the clearest outcomes was a shared pledge among Allies to increase defense and security spending in the years ahead. However, many pressing issues were left unaddressed, particularly those dealing with how precisely NATO would adapt its conventional military and nuclear posture to deter future threats posed by Russia, how it would deal with other emerging threats on the Alliance periphery as well as military-technological developments of concern, and how it would continue to support Ukraine both in the short and longer-term. With Allied leaders meeting again in July 2026 in Ankara, the coming months offer an important opportunity to deepen transatlantic dialogue and shape consensus approaches to these issues. This meeting will consist of two panels examining the changing nature of security threats affecting the Alliance as well as how NATO is adapting to these challenges.

16.00h

Welcome and Registration for attendees

16.30h

Event introduction

Opening Speakers

Joan F. Corona, President, Institute of North American Studies Foundation

Lia Miller, Consul General, Consulate General of the United States in Barcelona

Manuel Szapiro, Head of Representation in Barcelona, European Commission

16.45h

Opening Remarks

Pol Morillas
Director, CIDOB (Barcelona Centre for International Affairs)

17.00h Panel 1

Adapting the Alliance for a New Era

This panel will address potential strategic futures for NATO as Allied leaders prepare for Ankara 2026. Key questions include whether the Alliance will continue to expand, consolidate its current posture, or evolve in new ways. With larger defense budgets, what types of military forces will the Alliance invest in? Will NATO’s nuclear posture change given recent developments with the Russian nuclear arsenal? The discussion will also explore whether concerns about a reduced U.S. role in European security remain justified or whether recent transatlantic engagement suggests a more stable long-term trajectory. The panel will also address large-scale threats to NATO and how allies are likely to deal with them. These include NATO’s role supporting Ukraine both before and after an eventual ceasefire is achieved, and how it deters aggression from a reconstituted Russian military.

Speakers

Oana Lungescu
Distinguished Fellow, RUSI (The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies).

Richard Weitz
Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Political-Military Analysis, Hudson Institute.

Paul van Hooft
Research Leader, Defence and Security, RAND Europe.

Chair

Lluc Vidal
Associated Professor, Political science and international relations, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC),

Questions & Answers

Coffee break

18.40h Panel 2

Enduring and Emerging Security Challenges

In addition to the threat posed by an aggressive Russia, which looks certain to persist for years to come, the Alliance faces many other enduring as well as emerging security challenges. Instability across NATO’s southern neighborhood, as well as coercive behavior by actors such as North Korea and China, continues to test Allied cohesion. Hybrid threats – from cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns to drone incursions near critical civilian infrastructure – are growing in frequency and sophistication. At the same time, the Alliance will be obliged to adapt to the security threats that technological advances such as AI and Quantum technologies will present over the coming decades. Strengthening research security has become one of the most pressing emerging priorities, as Allies work to protect sensitive innovative ecosystems and ensure trusted collaboration across borders. This panel will explore the emerging security landscape, evaluate the effectiveness of current NATO responses, as well as speculate about the future prospects for NATO to secure its territory and citizens and what changes might be required to improve its prospects.

Speakers

Zach Carwile
Associate Director, The Texas A&M University System Research and Innovation Security and Competitiveness (RISC) Institute.

Hanna Smith
Senior Strategic Advisor to the Secretary-General, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

To be confirmed

Chair

Carme Colomina
Research Fellow on European Union, disinformation and global politics, Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB)

Questions & Answers

Academic advisor: Dr Jeffrey Michaels, IEN Senior Fellow in American Foreign Policy and International Security, Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals (IBEI)