On September 12-13, 2024, in cooperation with NATO PDD, the Equilibrium Institute organized the Budapest Energy and Security Talks conference.
Distinguished international experts, as well as political and economic decision-makers from 11 countries—including the United States and across Europe—shared their insights before an audience of over 250 participants, addressing the key topics of the conference:
- The outcomes of the NATO Summit in Washington
- The geopolitical challenges of the Western Balkans
- The escalating cyber security threats
- The current and future state of energy security and energy markets.
The two-day international event marks a significant milestone for the Equilibrium Institute, as our annual conference has launched a new expert dialogue in Hungary on the most pressing security policy issues affecting our country and transatlantic relations.
Key speakers at the conference included:
Boris Ruge, Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy, NATO;
Michał Kurtyka, Distinguished Fellow, Atlantic Council; Former Minister of Climate, Poland;
Miroslav Lajčák, EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issue;
Beata Daszyńska-Muzyczka, Presidential Ambassador and Special Envoy for Three Seas Initiative; Chancellery of the President Duda;
Robert Benjamin, Senior Associate and Regional Director for Central and Eastern Europe, NDI;
Jörn Fleck, Senior Director, Europe Center, Atlantic Council;
Tomi Huhtanen, Executive Director, Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies;
Tamás Vargha, Deputy Minister, State Secretary for Parliamentary Relations, Ministry of Defence;
Lech Wałęsa, former President of the Republic of Poland and Nobel Peace Prize laureate;
Pekka Haavisto, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs; Member of Parliament and Presidential Candidate, Parliament of Finland;
Philip T. Reeker, former US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs;
Mitch McConnell, Senator of the United States of America;
Zsolt Németh, Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee, Hungarian National Assembly;
Ian Brzezinski, Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council;
James J. Carafano, Senior Counselor to the President and E.W. Richardson Fellow, Heritage Foundation;
Attila Steiner, State Secretary for Energy and Climate Policy, Ministry of Energy.
Michał Kurtyka, Distinguished Fellow, Atlantic Council; Former Minister of Climate, Poland;
Miroslav Lajčák, EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issue;
Beata Daszyńska-Muzyczka, Presidential Ambassador and Special Envoy for Three Seas Initiative; Chancellery of the President Duda;
Robert Benjamin, Senior Associate and Regional Director for Central and Eastern Europe, NDI;
Jörn Fleck, Senior Director, Europe Center, Atlantic Council;
Tomi Huhtanen, Executive Director, Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies;
Tamás Vargha, Deputy Minister, State Secretary for Parliamentary Relations, Ministry of Defence;
Lech Wałęsa, former President of the Republic of Poland and Nobel Peace Prize laureate;
Pekka Haavisto, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs; Member of Parliament and Presidential Candidate, Parliament of Finland;
Philip T. Reeker, former US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs;
Mitch McConnell, Senator of the United States of America;
Zsolt Németh, Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee, Hungarian National Assembly;
Ian Brzezinski, Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council;
James J. Carafano, Senior Counselor to the President and E.W. Richardson Fellow, Heritage Foundation;
Attila Steiner, State Secretary for Energy and Climate Policy, Ministry of Energy.
We are deeply grateful to our partners for their support and trust: NATO, AMO, Atlantic Council, Casimir Pulaski Foundation, Casla Institute, Google, GEF – Green European Foundation, The Heritage Foundation, Hudson Institute, International Republican Institute (IRI), Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Magyar Atlanti Tanács, Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, National Democratic Institute, ODI Europe, Centre for Eastern Studies – OSW, PHI Institute for Augmented Intelligence, RUSI – Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, Strategy and Leadership for a New Central Europe.
