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European Defence & Security Summit 2024

17 April

Cercle Gaulois, Brussels

Two years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a major war continues to rage and military experts are warning about the possibility of Russian aggression against other European states within this decade. At the same time, the Hamas terror attack of 7 October has kicked off another major crisis in the Middle East.

Given the growing security threats and uncertainties about the outcome of the forthcoming US elections, it is now essential that Europeans intensify their efforts and bring their cooperation to an unprecedented level. The European elections, the start of a new Commission mandate and the preparation of the next Multi-annual Financial Framework will mark important milestones on this path.

Meet the Speakers

Ursula Von der Leyen
President, European Commission
Kaja Kallas
Prime Minister, Estonia
Thierry Breton
European Commissioner for Internal Market
Ludivine Dedonder
Minister of Defence, Belgium
Oleksandr Kamyshin
Minister for Strategic Industries, Ukraine
Timo Pesonen
Director-General, DG DEFIS, European Commission
Charles Fries
Deputy Secretary General for Peace, Security and Defence, EEAS
Jiří Šedivý
Chief Executive, European Defence Agency
Micael Johansson
CEO, SAAB and Vice-Chairman of ASD
Frank Haun
CEO, KNDS
Antoine Bouvier
Special Advisor to CEO, Airbus
Roberto Cingolani
CEO, Leonardo
Helmut Rauch
CEO, Diehl Defence
Benedikta von Seherr-Thoss
Managing Director, Peace, Security and Defence, EEAS
Eirik Lie
President, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace
Claudio Graziano
Chairman, Fincantieri
Eric Fanning
President and CEO, AIA
Kevin Craven
CEO, ADS
Vice-Admiral Francisco Javier Romero Caramelo
Advisor to the Navantia’s Chairman and CPO
Éric Béranger
CEO, MBDA
James Appathurai
DASG for Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber, NATO
Nathalie Loiseau
Chair of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence, European Parliament
Camille Grand
Distinguished Policy Fellow and Head of the Defence Initiative at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR)
Sauli Niinistö
Former President of Finland

"The cost of insecurity, the cost of a Russian victory, is far greater than any saving we could make now. The cost of facing multiple threats and conflicts without being prepared is far greater than we can afford. This is why it is time for Europe to step up on defence and security."

Ursula von der Leyen
President, European Commission

"The issue in Europe now is availability; to have availability, we need to drastically increase the capacity."

Thierry Breton
European Commissioner for Internal Market

"Europe is facing a critical moment. The road ahead is long but I am confident that together we will call the right shots, once again make freedom triumph over tyranny, and make future generations proud. There is no other way. There is simply no other way. Let’s not be afraid of our own power."

Kaja Kallas
Prime Minister, Estonia

Russia has already lost the war. Ukraine just hasn’t won yet.

Josep Borrell
HR/VP of the European Union, at the European Defence & Security Summit 2023

"We have a capable defence industry in Europe - we need to do a lot more together and create more sovereign capability. We are too dependent on the US and the transatlantic link.”

Micael Johansson
CEO, SAAB Group, at the European Defence & Security Summit 2023

"We believe that this conference is more important than ever before. We are living through a turning point, a change of paradigm with enormous challenges for citizens, politicians, armed forces and defence industry.”

Jan Pie
Secretary General, ASD, at the European Defence & Security Summit 2023

“The consequences of a war with Russia are so far-reaching, that it is not a simple black-and-white discussion.”

Adm. Rob Bauer
Chair of the NATO Military Committee

How to get there

Public transport (Metro and bus stops): Arts-Loi, Parc, Trone

Car parks nearby: BePark - Parking Arts-Loi

Check the 2024-2025 Agenda

Our mission statement

Our mission is twofold: we aim to bring politics and business together in order to provide them with an opportunity to debate and pursue their common goals, giving a voice to all sides of the debate. The other priority of EBS is to provide European institutions with a platform where they can place their top priorities in the spotlight and advance the development of new pieces of legislation through discussion with a variety of actors and stakeholders.

Arnaud Thysen
Director General

They trust us

Among other: