08:00 – 09:30 Registration
09:30 – 09:45 Official opening
(Open session – press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Le Diplomat” Venue]
09:45 – 10:15 Panel I. 2026 – Black Sea in Focus: Expectations from the Upcoming Bucharest 9 and NATO Summits
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Le Diplomat” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Ionel NIȚU, President, New Strategy Center, Romania
10:20 – 10.50 Panel II. The War in Ukraine and the impact on the Europe and Black Sea Securityin partnership with Körber Foundation, Germany
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Le Diplomate” Venue]
Chair: Ms. Alisa VOGT, Programme Director International Affairs, Körber Stiftung, Germany
10:50 – 11:00 Break
11:00 – 11:05 Main Partner Business Presentation – Lockheed Martin, USA
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Le Diplomate” Venue]
11:05 – 11:40 Panel IIIa. From the Strait of Hormuz to the Ankara Summit. The Transatlantic Link Under Pressure – in partnership with Atlantic Council, USA
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Le Diplomate” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Alexandru ȘERBAN, Atlantic Council, Romania
11:05 – 11:40 Panel IIIb. Frozen Peace or Fair Peace? Scenarios for Ending the War in Ukraine – in partnership with Elcano Royal Institute, Spain
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Regina Maria” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Radu TUDOR, Journalist, Antena 3 CNN, Romania
11:00 – 11:40 Panel IIIc. War, Weather and the World’s Breadbasket. Black Sea’s Role in Food Security Amid Conflict and Climate Stress – in partnership with University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (USAMV), Romania
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Danube” Venue – 1st floor]
Chair: Mr. Teodor TRAȘCĂ, Vice-Rector, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (USAMV), Romania
11:00 – 12:15 Panel IIId. Russia’s Military Transformation and Modern Warfare– in partnership with New Geopolitics Research Network, Ukraine
(Restricted access, by invitation only)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace –” Black Sea” Venue – 1st floor]
Chair: Major General (Ret.) Paul HURMUZ, Senior Associate Expert, New
Strategy Center, Romania
11:40 – 11:50 Break
11:50 – 11:55 Main Partner Business Presentation – OMV Petrom, Romania
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Le Diplomate” Venue]
11:55 – 12:40 Panel IVa. Unlocking the Black Sea: Offshore Energy Resources and the Future of European Supply – in partnership with Centre for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies (EDAM), Türkiye
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Le Diplomate” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Adrian MĂNIUȚIU, Journalist, Romania
11:50 – 11:55 Main Partner Business Presentation – Erbașu Constructii, Romania
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Regina Maria” Venue]
11:55 – 12:40 Panel IVb. Challenges and Opportunities in the Reconstruction of Ukraine: Romania’s Role in this Strategic Project – in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Germany
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Regina Maria” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Stefan HOFMANN, Head of KAS office in Bucharest, Germany
11:55 – 12:40 Panel IVc. Rare Earths Black Sea Region Potential and the Strategic Impact at Global Level – in partnership with Energy Policy Group, Romania
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Danube” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Radu DUDĂU, President, Energy Policy Group, Romania
12:40 – 12:50 Break
12:50 – 12:55 Main Partner Business Presentation – Romanian Commercial Bank – BCR, Romania
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Le Diplomate” Venue]
12:55 – 13:50 Panel Va. Investments in the Blur Security Environment. Challenges and Opportunities
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Le Diplomate” Venue]
Chair: Mr Laurentiu PACHIU, Senior Associate Expert New Strategy Center, Vice President Energy Policy Group, Romania
12:55 – 13:50 Panel Vb. The Danube Corridor: Strategic Artery for Infrastructure and Security in Europe – in partnership with Pupin Initiative, Serbia
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Regina Maria” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Ion IONIȚĂ, Senior editor Adevărul Newspaper, Romania
12:50 – 13:50 Panel Vc. Land Forces in the Era of Drones and Loitering Munitions
(Restricted access, by invitation only)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Black Sea” Venue – 1st floor]
Chair: Mr. Robert HAMILTON, President, Delphi Global Research
Center, USA
13:50- 15:15 Lunch
15:20 – 15:25 Main Partner Business Presentation
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Le Diplomate” Venue]
15:25 – 16:15 Panel VIa. Power, Pressure, and Succession: Exploring Russia’s Leadership Scenarios
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Le Diplomate” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Cosmin IONIȚĂ, Lecturer, Faculty of History, University of Bucharest, Romania
15:25 – 16:15 Panel VIb. Enlargement Meets Geopolitics: The Accession Process of Ukraine and Moldova and the Western Balkans Experience – in partnership with Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), Italy
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Regina Maria” Venue]
Chair: Ambassador Oana Cristina POPA, Distinguished Fellow, German
Marshall Fund, Romania
15:20 – 16:30 Panel VIc. Sea Denial and Anti-Access in Confined and Shallow Waters. Creating a Robust Costal Defence Using Lessons from Ukraine
(Restricted access, by invitation only)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Black Sea” Venue – 1st floor]
Chair: Rear Admiral (Ret.) Liviu COMAN, Senior Associate Expert, New. Strategy Center, former Commander of Maritime Component Command, Romania
16:15 – 16:25 Break
16:30 – 17:30 Panel VIIa. AI, Cyber & Disruptive Tech Threat Amplification: Building a Resilient Technology and Security Ecosystem in the Black Sea Region – in partnership with National Cyber Security Directorate, Romania
(Open session – press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace –“Le Diplomate” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Iulian POPA, Senior Associate Expert, New Strategy Center, Romania
16:30 – 17:30 Panel VIIb. From the Gulf to Global Security: The Iran War’s Shockwaves – in partnership with Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), USA
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Regina Maria” Venue]
Chair: General (ret.) Daniel PETRESCU, Member, International Leadership Council, Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), Romania
16:30 – 17:30 Panel VIIc. The Frozen Conflict in Transnistria and the Impact on Black Sea Security
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Danube” Venue – 1st floor]
Chair: Mr. Tudor CURTIFAN, Editor in Chief, Defense Romania
17:30 – 17:40 Break
17:40 – 18:30 Panel VIIIa. Decoupling or Deepening? The future of America and Europe Relations in the Era of Pragmatism – in partnership with Hudson Institute, USA
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Le Diplomate” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Matthew BOYSE, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute, former Deputy Assistant Secretary responsible for Central Europe at the State Department, USA
17:40 – 18:30 Panel VIIIb. From the Levant to the Black Sea: Strategic Reverberations of Middle East Crises – in partnership with Candid Foundation, Germany
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Regina Maria” Venue]
Chair: Ambassador Doru COSTEA, member of the Scientific Council of the New Strategy Center, former ambassador of Romania to Cairo, Romania
18:10 – 19:30 Panel VIIIc. War of Attrition and Large-Scale Combat. Where is the Place of Special Operation Forces?
(Restricted access, by invitation only)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Black Sea” Venue – 1st floor]
Chair: Colonel (ret.) Emilian BELEAGĂ, Senior associate expert, New
Strategy Center, Romania
18:30 – 18:40 – Break
18:40 – 18:45 Main Partner Business Presentation – Oracle Romania
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Le Diplomate” Venue]
18:45 – 19:30 Panel IXa. Russian Hybrid Warfare in Europe. – in partnership with Institute for European Policies and Reforms, Republic of Moldova
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Le Diplomate” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Iulian GROZA, Executive Director, Institute for European Policies and Reforms, Republic of Moldova
18:45 – 19:30 Panel IXb. The Battlefield of Societal Resilience. From Ukrainian War Time Model to European Society in the Era of Full-Scale Hybrid Warfare – in partnership with Institute for Liberty and Democracy, Romania
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Regina Maria” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Cristian DAVID, Chairman of the Institute for Freedom and Democracy, Romania
19:45 – 21:30 Cocktail
08:00 – 09:00 Registration
09:00 – 09.50 Panel Xa. Alliance Solidarity and Common Threat Perception. From Hague to Ankara NATO Summits – in partnership with the Chairman of the Munich Security Conference, Germany
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace –” Le Diplomate” Venue]
Chair: Ambassador Sorin DUCARU, Honorary Chairman of the Scientific Council, New Strategy Center, Romania
09:00 – 10:00 Panel Xb Between Peace and War. The Blurred Face of Modern Conflict. – in partnership with the Council on Geostrategy, UK
(Restricted access, by invitation only)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Black Sea” Venue – 1st floor]
Chair: Ms. Viktorija STARYCH-SAMUOLIENĖ, Co-Founder and Director of Strategy, Council on Geostrategy, UK
10:05 – 10:50 Panel XIa. Voluntary but Vital. Coalition of Willing for Ukraine – in partnership with London School of Economics IDEAS, UK
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – ”Le Diplomate” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Chris ALDEN, Director, LSE Ideas, UK
10:00 – 10:05 Main Partner Business Presentation – Rheinmetall, Germany
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace –” Regina Maria” Venue]
10:05 – 10:50 Panel XIb. Warfighting Readiness: From Factories to Frontlines. The Impact of SAFE Programe – in partnership with Defence 24, Poland
(Open session, press access)|
[InterContinental Athénée Palace –” Regina Maria” Venue
Chair: Mr. Piotr MAŁECKI, CEO, Defence 24, Poland
10:00 – 10:50 Panel XIc. From Wind and Solar to Green Hydrogen: The Future of Sustainable Energy in Europe and the Impact in the Black Sea Region
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – ”Danube” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Laurențiu PACHIU, Senior associate Expert, New Strategy Center, Vice President, Energy Policy Group, Romania
10:00 – 10:50 Panel XId. Borderlines and Battlelines: Assessing Regional Security in the Caucasus – in partnership with Delphi Global Research Center, USA
(Restricted access, by invitation only)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Black Sea” Venue – 1st floor]
Chair: Ms. Maia OTARASHVILI, Senior Fellow, Delphi Global Research Center, USA
10:50 – 11:00 Break
11:00 – 11:05 Main Partner Business Presentation – Concelex
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace –” Le Diplomate” Venue]
11.05 – 12.00 Panel XIIa. Connectivity Corridors, Maritime Checkpoints, and Global Stakes. Maintaining Open Seas from the Black Sea to the South China Sea – in partnership with The Heritage Foundation, USA
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – ”Le Diplomate” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Silviu NATE, Director of the Center for Global Studies at the University of Sibiu, Romania
11:00 – 11:05 Main Partner Business Presentation –PPC Romania
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace –”Regina Maria” Venue – ground floor]
11:05 – 12:00 Panel XIIb. Energy Corridors and the Impact on European Security – in partnership with the Delphi Economic Forum, Greece
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace –”Regina Maria” Venue – ground floor]
Chair: Mr. Symeon TSOMOKOS, President, Delphi Economic Forum, Greece
11.30 – 12.40 Panel XIIc. Black Swans in the Black Sea: Anticipating the Unthinkable – in partnership with Sofia Security Forum, Bulgaria
(Restricted access, by invitation only)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace –” Black Sea” Venue – 1st floor]
Chair: Rear Admiral (LH) (Ret.) Iuri-Alexandru COVALEOV, Senior Associate Expert, New. Strategy Center, former Deputy Chief, Military Intelligence Directorate, Romania
12:00 – 12:10 Break
12:10 – 12:15 Main Partner Business Presentation
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace –” Le Diplomate” Venue]
12:15 – 13:10 Panel XIIIa. Europe’s Nuclear Umbrella. From Transatlantic Assurance to European Ambitions– in partnership with Institute for European Perspective and Security, France
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – ”Le Diplomate” Venue]
Chair: Major General (Ret.) Paul HURMUZ, Senior Associate Expert, New Strategy Center, Romania
12:15 – 13:10 Panel XIIIb. Weapons of Russian Informational Warfare
in partnership with Bertelsmann Stiftung, Germany
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Regina Maria” Venue]
Chair: Ms. Ileana ROTARU, Senior associate expert, New Strategy Center, Professor, West University of Timisoara, Romania
13:00 – 14:20 Panel XIIIc. Air and Space Battlefield: How We Can Create our A2/AD Umbrella? The Future of Integrated Defence – in partnership with the National Defence University, Romania
(Restricted access, by invitation only)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – ”Black Sea” Venue]
Chair: Lieutenant General (Ret.) Viorel PANĂ, Senior Associate Expert, New Strategy Center, Romania
13:10 – 13:20 Break
13:25 – 14:15 Panel XIVa. Baltic and Black Sea Security From Kaliningrad to Crimea. Two Seas, One Strategy! – in partnership with Warsaw Security Forum, Poland
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace –”Le Diplomate” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Tomasz SMURA, Head of the Defence Track, Warsaw Security Forum, Poland
13:20 – 13:25 Main Partner Business Presentation – Proger Global Network, Romania
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace –”Regina Maria” Venue]
13:25 – 14:15 Panel XIVb. It’s A Long Way to Tipperary! Challenges for Military Mobility in the Modern Warfare – in partnership with the Association of the United States Army – Romania
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace –” Regina Maria” Venue]
Chair: Mr. David CARSTENS, Senior Associate Expert, New Strategy Center, USA
14:15 – 15:40 Lunch
15:40 – 16:50 Panel XVa. Why the Arctic Matters: Strategic Challenges for the Transatlantic World – in partnership with Institute for the Norwegian Institute of International Relation (NUPI), Norway
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Le Diplomate” Venue]
Chair: Karsten FRIIS, Research Professor, Norwegian Institute of International Relation (NUPI), Norway
15:40 – 15:45 Main Partner Business Presentation – Grampet Group, Romania
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace –”Regina Maria” Venue]
15:45 – 16:50 Panel XVb. The Strategic Triangle of the IMEC, Three Seas Initiative and Danube Corridor – in partnership with SEW UW – Centre for East European Studies, University of Warsaw, Poland
(Open access, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – ”Regina Maria” Venue]
Chair: Ms. Cristina CILEACU, Journalist, DIGI 24, Romania
15:40 – 16:50 Panel XVc. AI in Cybersecurity: The Dual-Use Dilemma
(Restricted access, by invitation only)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – “Black Sea” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Daniel IONIȚĂ, Senior Associate Expert, New Strategy Center, Romania
16:50 – 17:00 Break
17:00 – 17:05 Main Partner Business Presentation –Leviatan Group, Romania
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace –” Le Diplomate” Venue]
17:05 – 17:50 Panel XVIa. Defense through Infrastructure: From Military Bases to Dual-Use Infrastructure
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace –“Le Diplomate” Venue]
Chair: Brigadier General (Ret.) Hans DAMEN, Member of International Consultative Board of New Strategy Center, The Netherlands
17:00 – 17:50 Panel XVIb. From Strategy to Action. A Road Map for the EU Black Sea Strategy – in partnership with German Council of Foreign Relations (DGAP), Germany
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – ”Regina Maria” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Stefan MEISTER, Head of the Center for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia, DGAP, Germany
17:00 – 17:50 Panel XVIc. Reinforcing the NATO and EU’ s Defence Technological and Industrial Base. – in partnership with Military Technical Academy ”Ferdinand I”
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – ”Danube” Venue – 1st floor]
Chair: Brigadier General Constantin VIZITIU, Rector, Military Technical Academy ”Ferdinand I”, Romania
17:00 – 17:50 Panel XVId. Digital Battlefields: Data, AI, and Emerging Threats. From Data Management to Information Superiority
(Restricted access, by invitation only)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace – ”Black Sea” Venue]
Chair: Mr. Daniel IONIȚĂ, Senior associate expert, New Strategy Center, Romania
18:00 – 18:10 Break
18:10 – 19:20 Panel XVII. From Promise to Pressure: Article 5 and the Future of Transatlantic Solidarity
(Open session, press access)
[InterContinental Athénée Palace –“Le Diplomate” Venue]
Chair: Lieutenant General (Ret.) Ben HODGES, Member of the International Consultative Board of the New Strategy Center, former Commander of US Army Europe, USA
19:20 – 19:30 Closing Remarks
Mr. George SCUTARU, CEO, New Strategy Center, Romania
Note – Simultaneous translation into English and Romanian is available.
*VTC – video teleconferencing
