The Younger Generation Leaders Network on Euro-Atlantic Security (YGLN) brings together 90 emerging leaders of 28 nationalities throughout Europe – including Russia and Turkey – and the United States to discuss the most pressing Euro Atlantic security challenges of the 21st century.
The most significant obstacle to Euro-Atlantic security is the lack of trust between Russia and the West. This lack of trust has both contributed to, and been exacerbated by, the crisis in Ukraine and the widening differences on important political, security, economic issues. This in turn undermines the capacity for cooperation, increases tensions, raises costs and threatens to draw a new dividing line through Europe.
The Younger Generation Leaders Network on Euro-Atlantic Security (YGLN) works to bridge this divide, bringing together nearly 80 emerging leaders of 27 nationalities throughout Europe – including Russia and Turkey – and the United States to discuss the most pressing Euro-Atlantic security challenges of the 21st century.
The YGLN initiative responds to an urgent need for fresh thinking and a renewed discussion on the future of Euro-Atlantic security among rising leaders from all sides.
Given the centrality of the developments in Ukraine for the European security, the YGLN is working to identify practical steps relating to Ukraine while also addressing the broader regional challenges that have contributed to this crisis. While the YGLN will be focused on strengthening the security environment in the Euro-Atlantic region, it will also explore the broader economic, political and structural issues that have contributed to the current divide.
It is essential that future generations learn to communicate with one another and ultimately learn from both the successes and failures of previous eras. This will not be an easy or quick process. But given the gravity of what is at stake, it is imperative that there is platform for slowly rebuilding trust – such that future leaders can learn to work together to manage disputes and address common challenges.
There is a growing reliance on high-readiness agile forces by Russian and Western militaries, but more thought needs to be given to their potential risks.
Deteriorating relations between Russia and NATO and the increasing capacity for rapid deployment and concentration of forces increases instability and the risk of military escalation, namely in the Baltic region. Against this background, the countries concerned could be interested in a conventional arms control regime that helps to prevent destabilising build-ups of forces and to enhance maritime security.
In two weeks time leaders will meet in London for NATO’s 70th anniversary summit. This is an opportunity for NATO to position itself as a regional alliance of democracies in a mostly illiberal environment.
Members of the Younger Generation Leaders Network publish an open letter urging President’s Trump and Putin to preserve the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, resolve compliance issues, and work to protect nuclear arms control.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation in cooperation with the Younger Generation Leaders Network (YGLN) organised a night owl session on nuclear risks at the Italian Embassy in Berlin.
The Younger Generation Leaders Network on Euro-Atlantic Security (YGLN) held its eighth meeting in Berlin, Germany, on April 15-19, 2018.