Members of the Atlantic Council of Croatia participated the traditional Transatlantic Study Trip programme held in April in Washington, organized by the Atlantic Treaty Association (ATA from Brussels), that gathered representatives of other national councils, members of ATA.
The participants visited Herritage Foundation, Foundation for Defense of Democracy, The American Enterprise Institute, US Department of Defense, Center for American Progress, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Brooking Institution and Atlantic Council Headquarter. It was a great opportunity to meet analysts of the respective institutions, that are involved in creating US foreign policy and discuss on European views concerning different issues, and especially Ukraine crisis. Representatives of the US Department of Defense stressed that the time of the Cold War is back to Europe, and all American allies agree that Russia is a big enemy today.
In relation to NATO, it is stressed that NATO today is among many requests for engagement in international community. United States support strengthening of NATO’s operability, but cannot influence to some member states, especially Italy and Turkey. Therefore, it is foreseen that the next NATO summit in Warszaw will be dealing with the internal transformation of the Alliance for its bigger efficiency and effectiveness. Enlargement of NATO is still one of the official NATO policies, which will find its place on the agenda in Warszaw.
Heather Conley, Director of the Programme for Europe, Center for Strategic and International Studies, thinks that Russia should be the main priority of the US foreign policy. Tomas Wright, Director of the Project for International Order and Strategy, Brookings Institut, bases his analysis on a fact that today there’s no global international order and clear strategy of the main international actors. Michael Robin, American Enterprise Institute, thinks that crisis in the Middle East is a result of the struggle between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Representatives of the Foundation for Defense of Democracy analyzed crisis in Syria, Iraq and possibilities of Turkey’s role in crisis in that area.
Representatives of the US Atlantic Council and European national councils discussed on possibilities of common activities. General Secretary of ATA Jason Weisman and newly elected President of ATA Fabrizio Luciolli reported their American partners on planned activities in ATA, stressing the enlargement of countries from the region. Members of the Atlantic Council of Croatia expressed their support for FYR Macedonia and Montenegro joining NATO.
