18
May 2017
Past Event
Emerging Tensions in the Black Sea and the Region’s Importance to the West

Emerging Tensions in the Black Sea and the Region’s Importance to the West

Past Event
Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C. Headquarters
May 18, 2017
18
May 2017
Past Event

1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 400
Washington, DC 20004

Speakers:
Seth Cropsey

President, Yorktown Institute

H.E. George Ciamba

Secretary of State for Euroatlantic, Bilateral, and Strategic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Romania

Ben-Oni Ardelean

Vice President, Foreign Affairs Commission, Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of Romania and Member, Romanian Delegation, NATO Parliamentary Assembly

Laurențiu Pachiu

Member of the Advisory Board, Energy Policy Group and Managing Partner & Founder, Pachiu & Associates

Cosmin Ionita

Expert, New Strategy Center

The Black Sea has historically been a meeting place of imperial ambitions and lucrative trade. For most of recorded history, the Black Sea has been a strategic hinge and remains so today. Russia has annexed Crimea and supports an ongoing insurgency in Ukraine’s southeast—where fighting continues between the Ukrainian government and Russian-backed forces. Moscow provides military and political assistance to the breakaway regions of Transnistria in Moldova and Abkhazia in Georgia. Russia is increasing the size of its Black Sea Fleet and Russian aircraft continue to harass American naval vessels in the Black Sea as part of concerted efforts to pressure NATO from the Baltics to the Mediterranean.

Three NATO countries—Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey—have Black Sea coastlines, and face the prospect of Russia’s expanding military presence. Across Central and East Europe, NATO has responded to Russia with measures designed to reinforce alliance coordination. In both Bulgaria and Romania, the alliance has set up local NATO commands. Romania is home to part of a NATO missile shield, Bulgaria has RAF fighters stationed there, and both countries will host U.S. troop rotations in 2017.

On May 18, Hudson Institute, in cooperation with the Romanian research institute New Strategy Center, held a conference on Black Sea regional issues and their importance to both NATO and U.S. security. An expert panel discussed challenges and opportunities facing the U.S. and its allies in this volatile environment.

View Mr. Pachiu's Slides

View Dr. Ionita's Slides

Related Events
23
October 2025
In-Person Event | Invite Only
The US in the South Caucasus: Mapping New Strategic Opportunities 
Featured Speakers:
Ilan Berman
Luke Coffey
Steve Daines
Michael Doran
Ambassador Khazar Ibrahim
Efgan Nifti
Joel Scanlon
: President Donald Trump, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sign a joint declaration at the White House in Washington DC, on August 8, 2025. (Getty Images)
23
October 2025
In-Person Event | Invite Only
The US in the South Caucasus: Mapping New Strategic Opportunities 

A keynote address by Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), to examine the implications of the recent Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement. 

: President Donald Trump, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sign a joint declaration at the White House in Washington DC, on August 8, 2025. (Getty Images)
Featured Speakers:
Ilan Berman
Luke Coffey
Steve Daines
Michael Doran
Ambassador Khazar Ibrahim
Efgan Nifti
Joel Scanlon
30
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
How Long Can Russia’s Weakening Economy Support Putin’s War on Ukraine?
Featured Speakers:
Dr. Volodymyr Lugovskyy
Dr. Anders Aslund
Thomas J. Duesterberg
Getty Images
30
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
How Long Can Russia’s Weakening Economy Support Putin’s War on Ukraine?

Join noted Russian and Ukrainian economists and Hudson Senior Fellow Thomas Duesterberg for an event that will analyze how growing economic problems are affecting Vladimir Putin’s war effort and its ability to avoid an economic crisis.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Dr. Volodymyr Lugovskyy
Dr. Anders Aslund
Thomas J. Duesterberg
03
November 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Congressman Rich McCormick on Securing American AI Leadership
Featured Speakers:
Congressman Rich McCormick
Jason Hsu
Representative Rich McCormick speaks during a House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing on January 11, 2024. (Getty Images)
03
November 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Congressman Rich McCormick on Securing American AI Leadership

Senior Fellow Jason Hsu will host Congressman Rich McCormick (R-GA), a member of the House Armed Services Committee and Foreign Affairs Committee and a former member of the bipartisan Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, for a conversation on securing American AI leadership.

Representative Rich McCormick speaks during a House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing on January 11, 2024. (Getty Images)
Featured Speakers:
Congressman Rich McCormick
Jason Hsu
04
November 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Bad Money: How America Can Solve Perpetual Inflation
Featured Speakers:
Brendan Brown
Alex J. Pollock
Moderator:
Harold Furchtgott-Roth
Getty Images
04
November 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Bad Money: How America Can Solve Perpetual Inflation

At Hudson, Senior Fellows Brendan Brown and Harold Furchtgott-Roth and Mises Institute Senior Fellow Alex Pollock will discuss the book’s findings and how gold-based monetary reform combined with the increased use of modern analytical tools can help end the inflationary spiral.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Brendan Brown
Alex J. Pollock
Moderator:
Harold Furchtgott-Roth