The 2025 edition of the Transatlantic Socrates Seminar is an international Leadership Seminar, conducted in English, developed by the Aspen Institute Romania in partnership with The Aspen Institute US – Socrates Program and in cooperation with NATO.

Forging Resilience and Innovation in an Era of Global Fracture

The Seminar was organized in Brussels, in cooperation with NATO, powered by the Brussels-based Aspen Romania Office & Alumni Hub.

During the 3 days of the Seminar, we explored, in a transatlantic context, the strategies for reinforcing transatlantic cohesion, countering authoritarian influence, and leveraging innovation to strengthen security, democracy, and economic resilience.

As 2025 unfolds, the transatlantic community finds itself at a critical juncture, facing a world increasingly defined by fragmentation, geopolitical competition, and rapid technological disruption.

The global landscape is marked by heightened tensions between democratic and authoritarian models, economic instability, and the weaponization of technology, energy, and information. The erosion of multilateral institutions and norms raises fundamental questions about the future of the global order and the ability of democracies to sustain resilience, competitiveness, and unity.

For the European Union, these challenges coincide with the urgent need to close the innovation gap, develop a joint roadmap for competitiveness, and reduce strategic dependencies to enhance resilience and economic security. The EU’s ability to lead in technology, energy, and industrial policy will be crucial in shaping its position in a shifting global order.

Taking place in Brussels, the Seminar served as a vital platform for informal yet high-level discussions, bringing together 30 participants, senior representatives from NATO, the EU, and the Brussels international and diplomatic community, key policymakers, experts, and thought leaders from both sides of the Atlantic, alongside relevant representatives of the diverse communities of the network of international Aspen Institutes, to navigate these complex challenges.

The seminar explored strategies for reinforcing transatlantic cohesion, countering authoritarian influence, and leveraging innovation to strengthen security, democracy, and economic resilience. The participants engaged in thought-provoking discussions to forge actionable strategies for a world in flux.

Participation in the seminar was by invitation only.

The 2025 edition of the Seminar debated the following key themes:

  • Transatlantic Cohesion Amid Global Fragmentation
    The transatlantic relationship remains the backbone of global stability, but political, economic, and security divergences are testing its foundations. How can Europe and North America sustain a united front against external pressures while managing internal fractures?
  • Geoeconomics of Disruption: Energy, Economic, and Supply Chains Security
    The economic battlefield is shifting, with supply chains, energy security, and industrial policy becoming key arenas of strategic competition. How can the transatlantic community adapt its economic frameworks to mitigate dependencies, counter coercive economic practices, and drive sustainable growth?
  • Aligning Transatlantic Innovation: Closing the EU-US Tech Gap
    As AI, quantum computing, and advanced manufacturing redefine global power structures, the EU and US must align their innovation strategies to remain competitive, resilient, and technologically sovereign. How can Europe and the US enhance cooperation in research, investment, and regulation to drive innovation while reducing dependencies on external actors?
  • The Future of Conflict: Security in a Technological and Multipolar World
    Emerging threats—ranging from AI-driven warfare to cyber and hybrid attacks—are transforming security paradigms. How can NATO and the EU recalibrate their defence strategies to address both conventional and non-traditional security challenges?
  • Democracy Under Siege: Countering Disinformation, FIMI, and Political Polarisation
    With elections across the transatlantic space and beyond, 2025 is a decisive year for democratic resilience. How can societies strengthen their defenses against disinformation, foreign interference, digital authoritarianism, and the erosion of democratic norms?
  • Redefining Strategic Resilience: Lessons from Crises and Paths Forward
    Whether in military, economic, or societal dimensions, resilience is now an essential pillar of strategic planning. What lessons can be drawn from recent crises, and how can resilience be operationalised as a competitive advantage?

Moderators of the Seminar:

RADU PUCHIU

Aspen Technology & Society Program Director

Former Romanian State Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Chancellery and National Coordinator for Open Government Partnership. Aspen Seminar Alumnus, currently Aspen Technology & Society Program Director and Co-founder & CEO of H.appyCities, building digital platforms and mobile applications that empower citizens, communities, and local authorities to think, communicate and act collectively for the benefit of the citizens. Radu is also co-founder of TINIA Group, a green energy company.

Radu Puchiu is a public policy and open government consultant with more than 10 years’ experience in the Romanian public sector. As State Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, he coordinated strategies and public policies development at the Centre of Government, between 2012 and 2017, and as National Coordinator for Open Government Partnership he represented Romania in the Steering Committee of the OGP at the international level. Starting October 2018, he was invited by the OGP to become an OGP Envoy.

He graduated the Design Academy in Bucharest, and he attended the Internet Leadership Academy at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, UK. He is also a member of the Open Data Leaders Network organised by the Open Data Institute London. In 2016 he was selected by Res Publica, Google, Visegrad Fund and Financial Times in NewEurope100 (http://www.ne100.org) top of innovation leaders in Eastern and Central Europe.

 RYAN PATEL

Senior Fellow Socrates Program, Global Business Executive, Contributor @CNN, Host of “The Moment”
filmed The Iconic @HP Garage, @linkedin Top Voice

Ryan Patel is a globally recognized business executive and thought leader in international trade, corporate strategy, and economic policy.

An expert in scaling businesses, he has worked for startups to publicly traded companies; his extensive knowledge in strategic global market development, concept scalability, digital transformation, global trade, and consumer-driven marketing, making him a thought leader in the global business realm. He is a frequent TV contributor, Board Director, and Senior Fellow with the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University.

He also hosts the Webby Award-nominated series “The Moment with Ryan Patel,” filmed at the iconic “Birthplace of Silicon Valley,” The HP Garage. As a skilled moderator, he fosters engaging discussions, bridging perspectives between policymakers and industry leaders. In areas ranging from innovation to social responsibility, diversity and inclusion, and technology, he also serves on several advisory boards, including Mastercard, The Drucker School of Management, The Wall Street Journal Leadership Communities, and HEC Paris.