IIEA Talks

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Ben Judah and Thomas Wright - 21st of May 2026 May 21, 2026

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'The Making of Foreign Policy' In this edition of IIEA Insights two former foreign policy advisors – Ben Judah in the UK and Thomas Wright in the US – will recount their respective experiences of policy formulation, including the roles of advisors, civil servants, and political leaders, and how those roles have changed over time, if at all. They will also give personal views on the current state of play in some of the major issues that they were involved in as foreign policy advisors. Ben Judah worked as Special Advisor to British Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, from February 2024 until early 2026. He is an author, publishing most recently This is Europe in 2023 and has held a number of think tank positions. From 2020 to 2024, he was a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, in Washington, D.C.,where he directed the Transform Europe Initiative. From 2017 to 2020, he held a research fellowship at the Hudson Institute, also in Washington, D.C., where he led research for the Kleptocracy Initiative. And from 2010 to 2012, he was a policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations in London. Thomas Wright is a Senior Fellow at Brookings’s Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy and Technology and previously served as special assistant to the president and senior director for strategic planning at the National Security Council in the Biden administration. At the White House, he worked on the 2022 US National Security Strategy, Russia-Ukraine and European security, US-China relations, foreign economic policy, and adversary alignment. He is the author of All Measures Short of War and co-author of Aftershocks. He holds degrees from Georgetown, Cambridge, and University College Dublin, and has held fellowships at Harvard and Princeton.

The Digital Fairness Act: Keynote Address by Isabelle Pérignon May 20, 2026

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Isabelle Pérignon, a French national, is Director for Consumer Policy at the European Commission since October 2023. She was for four years (2019-2023) the Deputy Head of Cabinet of the former Commissioner for Justice. Before this position, she worked as Head of Unit for Procedural criminal law at the European Commission. Ms Pérignon was also a member of the Cabinet of several Commissioners, including Commissioner for Values and Transparency, Vera Jourova and former Commissioner for Home Affairs, Cécilia Malmström. Before joining the Commission in 2003, Isabelle Perignon was a solicitor specialising in EU law and was a member of the French and Belgian bars. She worked at Baker McKenzie law firm under the supervision of Ms Christine Lagarde. She holds a Master's Degree in European Legal Studies (LLM College of Europe) and a Masters in Business Studies.

Gaza: The Dream and the Nightmare May 20, 2026

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In Dr Julie Norman’s address to the IIEA, she discusses her new co-authored book, entitled Gaza: The Dream and the Nightmare. Dr Norman and Maia Carter Hallward tell the story of Gaza from its early foundations, across decades of occupation, to the horrors of 7 October 2023 and the devastation of the subsequent war. Rather than focusing on elites or abstract politics, at the book's heart are ordinary Gazans - students, aid workers, journalists, and teachers - whose first-hand testimonies vividly illuminate the realities behind the headlines. The book reckons with the legal, moral, and humanitarian debates surrounding Gaza, from war crimes investigations to the contested meaning of resistance and the politicisation of aid. Dr Norman will discuss how combining a nuanced narrative with hard-hitting reflections from everyday Gazans, serves as a timely and necessary disruption of media cliches and political binaries, from the perspectives of Gaza's own people. About the Speaker: Dr Julie Norman is an Associate Professor in Politics and International Relations at University College London (UCL). She is also the Director of UCL’s Israel-Palestine Initiative, and an Associate Fellow on the Middle East at Chatham House. She is the author of Gaza: The Dream and the Nightmare and many other books and articles on Palestine/Israel and international conflict, and she is a frequent commentator on the BBC, Al Jazeera, and other media outlets.

Ukraine’s Path to the EU in the Time of Ireland’s Presidency May 19, 2026

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Full event title: "Ukraine’s Path to the EU in the Time of Ireland’s Presidency: Defending Democracy and Shaping Europe’s Security Future" Oleksandr Korniyenko serves as the First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, a role he has held since October 2021. Mr Korniyenko is the Head of the Servant of the People Party and has been a Member of the Ukrainian Parliament since 2019. In December 2025, he was re-elected as Chairman of the Servant of the People Party for a new term. The Servant of the People Party is represented by around 40% of local council deputies and mayors across Ukraine. As part of his role, he oversees the preparing and holding of plenary session in accordance with the distribution of responsibilities and instructions of the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada. Mr Korniyenko also coordinates the work of parliamentary committees and working groups on various issues. He has played a role in the implementation of key judicial, anti-corruption and economic reforms, as well as in the removal of artificial barriers to these reforms. As a representative of the leadership of the Ukrainian Parliament, he is actively involved in the implementation of legislative changes and European integration reforms for Ukraine’s early accession to the European Union. Since February 2022, Mr Korniyenko has been assisting the Armed Forces of Ukraine, traveling to the border, de-occupied territories and frontline areas. He is also active on the diplomatic front, holding over 350 international meetings and paying official visits to more than 40 countries between 2022 and 2026.

Germany’s Zeitenwende and the Future of the European Security Architecture May 19, 2026

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In light of an increasingly volatile world order, the future of the European security architecture is back on the agenda and seems more pressing than at any point in recent history. After decades of reduced military spending across Europe, recent developments from Ukraine, over Greenland and from the Middle East as well as the rifts in the Transatlantic partnership have prompted European states to reassess their own vulnerabilities and defence capabilities. Germany’s ambition to modernise its Armed Forces and to fully implement the so-called Zeitenwende can be described as the centrepiece of the efforts currently undertaken by governments inside and outside of the European Union. What is the German perspective on the future of the European security architecture? Which measures could and should be taken at EU level to complement national efforts? How can Europe position itself effectively in a “world on fire” and which role can militarily neutral states such as Ireland play in the bigger picture of European security? Roderich Kiesewetter has been Member of the German Bundestag since 2009 and is a former General Staff Officer of the Bundeswehr (Colonel GS, Federal Armed Forces). He currently serves on the Committee on Foreign Affairs. He is also a Substitute Member of the Subcommittee on Arms Control and Proliferation Control, Non-Proliferation, and International Disarmament as well as the Subcommittee on Crisis Prevention, Strategic Foresight, Stabilization, and Peacebuilding. Furthermore, he is the Vice-Chair of the Working Group on Foreign Relations of the CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group. As one of the CDU’s most outspoken experts on security and defence policy, he is regularly quoted in newspapers and on national television. This event has been organised in conjunction with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung UK and Ireland.

At the table or on the menu? Europe between Xi's China and Trump’s America May 13, 2026

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A year of hard geopolitics has exposed Europe’s position between the world's two superpowers, with neither treating the European Union as a central player. This discussion examines where EU–China ties really stand, why the predicted détente never materialised after Trump’s return, and how Brussels is trying to balance economic interests with China with growing concerns over security and trade imbalances. Finbarr Bermingham is the Chief Europe Correspondent at the South China Morning Post, specialising in geopolitics, geoeconomics and EU-China relations. He has spent the last five years reporting from Brussels, breaking news on the EU’s attempts to unpick its economic dependencies on China and the backlash against Beijing’s growing assertiveness. Previously based in Hong Kong for seven years, he covered China’s trade and economy. He has also worked in London and South Korea. Finbarr is a regular commentator across TV, radio and podcasts, and speaks at events across Europe.

Ireland’s EU Presidency: How Germany and Ireland will work towards a stronger Europe May 13, 2026

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As Europe faces unprecedented geopolitical challenges, from the ongoing war in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion to a volatile situation in the Middle East and shifting transatlantic relations and power competition, a strong and united European Union is in our key interest. During the upcoming Irish EU Presidency, the focus will be on how member states can ensure unity and security, defend our values, and increase Europe’s competitiveness. In his keynote address to the IIEA, Christoph Wolfrum, Director General for European Affairs at the German Federal Foreign Office, highlights Germany’s and Ireland’s opportunities to work together towards a stronger and more united Europe. Christoph Wolfrum has been Director-General for European Affairs at Germany’s Federal Foreign Office in Berlin since 2024. He previously led work on EU Strategic Policy Issues, EU Coordination and EU External Affairs and served as Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy in Madrid from 2019 to 2023. His other previous roles include Head of Division for EU Policy and Strategy, Deputy Head of the United Kingdom Task Force, and Deputy Head of Division posts in the EU Coordination Group (2014–2015) and EU Justice and Home Affairs (2012–2014). Mr Wolfrum also worked as an ‘Antici’ at Germany’s Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels from 2008 to 2012, in Nuclear Non-Proliferation (2005-2008) and Disarmament, and at the German Embassy in Bogotá as Head of the Legal and Consular Section (2002–2005).

A World in Crisis: Addressing the Humanitarian Impact of Rising Global Conflicts May 07, 2026

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Join us for an urgent and thought-provoking discussion with ICRC Director-General Pierre Krähenbühl on the alarming rise in global conflicts and their profound humanitarian consequences. With over 130 active conflicts worldwide, more than double the number recorded just 15 years ago, war is no longer the exception but an increasingly normalized tool of dispute. From the devastating escalation in the Middle East to the ripple effects on fragile nations like Sudan and Somalia, the impacts of these crises are far-reaching and demand immediate attention. The ICRC Director-General explores the changing nature of warfare, the long-lasting scars it leaves on communities, and the growing challenges faced by humanitarian actors in an era of diminishing resources and heightened risks. Pierre Krähenbühl is Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), a position he assumed in April 2024. As head of the ICRC's executive body, he is responsible for steering the organisation's global humanitarian activities. Immediately prior to his current position, Mr Krähenbühl was Secretary-General to the Assembly at the ICRC (2023-2024). Mr Krähenbühl has dedicated more than 30 years to the humanitarian sector, including 25 years in prominent roles at the ICRC in delegations and at headquarters. He also served as Commissioner-General and Under-Secretary General of the United Nations at UNWRA (2014-2019). This lecture is part of the Development Matters series, which is kindly sponsored by Irish Aid.

Reframing the EU’s Approach to the Sahel May 07, 2026

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The European Union and the Sahel have longstanding ties. Yet, as both sides experience significant transformations, and as geopolitical challenges abound, the context and nature of EU-Sahel relations have fundamentally changed. Today’s geopolitical environment is marked by the growing role of military actors in politics, widespread security concerns, acute fragility, the reconfiguration of regional and multilateral systems, and intensifying geopolitical competition. These trends are further reinforced by narratives centred on sovereignty and rising anti-Western and anti-European sentiment. The EU envisages being a partner of choice for the Sahel and the broader region for the medium to long term. In this context, the EU has developed a renewed approach to the Sahel, acknowledging that disengagement is not an option, given the strategic importance of the region. In his address, EUSR Cravinho will outline this approach, which is focused on charting a way forward, which was politically validated by the 27 EU Foreign Ministers in November 2025. This lecture is part of the Development Matters series, which is kindly sponsored by Irish Aid.

Trade and Geopolitics: trade policy as a driver for EU competitiveness and resilience in a turbulent era May 07, 2026

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Recent global trade volatility and geopolitical instability have highlighted how Europe’s prosperity, autonomy and security can be exposed to global shocks and render Europe vulnerable. In this event, Olof Gill, Deputy Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission and Spokesperson for Trade, Economic Security & Customs, discusses the EU’s efforts to navigate geopolitical turbulence and major trade disruption. Mr Gill explores the European Commission’s focus on achieving a robust and resilient trade policy that promotes Europe’s prosperity, security and autonomy. Olof Gill is Deputy Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission, and Commission Spokesperson for Trade, Economic Security & Customs. He began his career as a journalist before taking on roles in the European Parliament, and later the Irish government. In his current position he plays a public-facing role, communicating the EU perspective on high-profile trade and geopolitical priorities, including relations with the US, China, India, and Mercosur region. An Irish-Swedish national, he has worked at the Commission for over a decade, contributing to EU policy and communications strategies on prominent topics including Brexit, Covid-19, and the war in Ukraine.

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