America’s alliances in Europe and its confrontation with Russia have been mainstays of U.S. foreign policy for more than 70 years. Though both have fluctuated over time, the core of American strategy towards Europe has remained remarkably consistent since World War II. Nonetheless, recent years have brought a resurge in debate over trans-Atlantic relations not seen since the end of the Cold War.

On one side, scholars and practitioners contend that America’s expanding alliance with the European members of NATO has been critical in underwriting an unprecedented period of global peace and security, and that confrontation with Russia is necessary to contain Vladimir Putin’s revisionism. Others believe that American strategy has failed to adapt to the post-Cold War world, and that deep engagement in a prosperous and free Europe creates more problems than it solves at great cost to American taxpayers.

Please join Jim Goldgeier (The Brookings Institution), Rajan Menon (City University of New York), Victoria Nuland (The Brookings Institution), William Ruger (Charles Koch Institute), and moderator Edward Luce (Financial Times) in an evening of spirited debate on these issues and the future of trans-Atlantic relations, hosted by The Brookings Institution and the Charles Koch Institute.