The 2026 Aspen Security Forum
July 14-17 | Aspen, CO
The 2026 Aspen Security Forum continued yesterday in Aspen! We are pleased to share some of the highlights from our third day below.
Tune in to the final sessions today by joining our livestream!
Day Three Highlights
Fireside Chat with Minister Ayman Safadi
Ayman Safadi
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jordan
Moderator
Andrea Mitchell
NBC
“Now, all of our efforts are geared towards stopping the war, finding a political solution that will not only address the current sources of tension, but hopefully look at sources of tension over decades between Iran and the region. All of us in the region have always wanted good relations with Iran, but we said in order for those good relations to be had, Iran’s interventionism in the region, its meddling in the affairs of the area, and non-respect for sovereignty of states must end.” —Ayman Safadi
Minister Safadi shared his insights into the conflict in the Middle East, including Iran’s attacks on Jordanian territory, Jordan’s joint defense cooperation with the U.S., the situation in Gaza and Lebanon, and more.
Fireside Chat with Ambassador Akif Çağatay Kılic
Akif Çağatay Kılıç
Chief Adviser on National Security and Foreign Policy to the President, Türkiye
Moderator
David E. Sanger
The New York Times
“In the end, it’s going to be the Russian Federation and Ukraine who will have to sit down and make peace…What we as countries who are trying to bring the conflict to an end can contribute is a secure and viable place, not only geographically but also in the atmosphere, where both sides can trust and sit down and discuss their differences. Now, as the war drags on longer and longer…the wound is deepening. And once it gets deeper, the resolution gets harder.” —Akif Çağatay Kılıç
Ambassador Kılıç shared his perspective from Ankara, covering the NATO alliance, the economic and human costs of the war in Ukraine, the conflict in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and more.
Bear in Mind: Ukraine and Russia
In Partnership with the Aspen Institute Kyiv
Oleksiy Honcharuk
Former Prime Minister of Ukraine; Chair of the Board of Directors, UFORCE
Stephen E. Biegun
Former Deputy Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State; Vice Chairman, National Endowment for Democracy
Kaupo Rosin
Director General, Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service
Chris Ruddy
CEO, Newsmax Media
Moderator
Yaroslav Trofimov
The Wall Street Journal
“We have a new military domain in Ukraine. We have a time domain…It’s not so important what technology you have. It’s super important to understand how fast your evolution is on the frontline…and it’s super important to be faster than the enemy.” —Oleksiy Honcharuk
The panelists discussed the dynamics of the war in Ukraine, including the geopolitics of Europe, innovations in warfighting and unmanned weapons systems, and Vladimir Putin’s strategic calculus.
It’s Not You, It’s U.S.: The Future of NATO
In Partnership with the Aspen Institute Romania, Marking Its 20th Anniversary
Nils Schmid
Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Defence, Germany
Chris Brose
President and Chief Strategy Officer, Anduril
General Christopher Cavoli (Ret.)
19th Commander, U.S. European Command; 20th Supreme Allied Commander Europe
Mircea Geoană
Former Deputy Secretary General, NATO; Founder, Aspen Institute Romania
Moderator
Courtney Kube
NBC
“We started, in Europe, basically after Russia started the war in Ukraine, to wake up strategically. So now the difficult part will be to have a mindset shift in Europe and a mindset shift in America… from a hyperdependency [on the U.S.] to a partnership of equals.” —Mircea Geoană
In this session on the future of NATO, the panelists explored European defense spending targets, the recent summit in Ankara, America’s leadership role in the alliance, and the strength of NATO’s deterrent capabilities.
Troubled Waters: Security and Stability in the Indo-Pacific
Rahm Emanuel
Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan
Michael Fullilove
Executive Director, Lowy Institute
Anja Manuel
Executive Director, Aspen Strategy Group; Principal, Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel LLC
Moderator
Demetri Sevastopulo
Financial Times
“If we take care of business here, nothing China is doing can’t be deterred on every level. [America’s] greatest export is our political dysfunction at home. China’s greatest export is their economic dysfunction. If we get our game together, game on.”—Rahm Emanuel
The panelists examined the Indo-Pacific, delving into U.S.-China competition, public perceptions of the U.S. in the region, America’s alliances with South Korea, Japan, and Australia, the AUKUS deal, the future of Taiwan, and more.
Middle Ground in the Middle East?
Salam Fayyad
Former Prime Minister, Palestinian Authority; Professor of Public Policy, Princeton University
Kim Ghattas
Contributing Writer, The Atlantic; Author, Black Wave
Amaney Jamal
Dean, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs
Herro Mustafa Garg
Former U.S. Ambassador to Egypt and Bulgaria; Founder and Principal, Hollyhock Global Advisory
Moderator
David Ignatius
The Washington Post
“What we’re looking for here is for there to be a government for the people in the truest sense of the word, government that serves people, runs its finances in a good way, runs its law and order in a good way, gives people confidence about their safety, security, livelihood…It’s required anywhere in the world, especially so for the Palestinian people struggling for many decades under a highly oppressive and capricious occupation regime.” —Salam Fayyad
This panel assessed the complex challenges currently facing the Middle East, exploring the dynamics in countries ranging from Lebanon and Israel to Iran and Iraq.
What’s Next: How AI Is Impacting Safety and National Security
David van Weel
Minister of Justice and Security, The Netherlands
Anne Neuberger
General Partner and Head of Global Affairs, a16z; Distinguished Fellow, Stanford University; Former Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technologies
Robin Colwell
Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, Intel
Amber Miller
President, Hewlett Foundation
Moderator
Mary Louise Kelly
NPR
“AI is a force for good, but… the problem now is that I think AI has become one of the most hated technologies among our societies before we’re actually practicing it. And I can see this in my country, which is normally a very digitally innovative, forward-looking country. In AI implementation, we’re behind. And part of the reason is that we’ve been scaring people about AI, about the use of AI, or regulating it too soon so they take a distance from it.”—David van Weel
In this session, the panelists delved into how AI is transforming society and the security environment, from quantum technologies and decryption to AI-enabled cyberattacks.
Let’s Get This Strait: The Future of Iran
Chris Murphy
U.S. Senator for Connecticut, U.S. Senate
Robert Greenway
Former Director, Allison Center for National Security, The Heritage Foundation; Senior Vice President, American Global Strategies
Roxana Saberi
Journalist and Author
Karim Sadjadpour
Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Moderator
Jim Sciutto
CNN
“If you are uncomfortable with Iran’s ability to disrupt global trade and energy markets, and you should be, and allowing them to have a nuclear weapon and develop that program under the umbrella of a ballistic missile program, then this is the most practical way to solve it. Diplomacy up to this point hasn’t prevailed, and it won’t as long as you have a disingenuous partner.”—Robert Greenway
This session examined America’s objectives in the war with Iran, the domestic dynamics in Iran, and what a lasting peace would require.
Israel Today
Ted Deutch
CEO, American Jewish Committee; Former Member of Congress (2010–2022)
Dahlia Scheindlin
Fellow, Century International, The Century Foundation
Dan Shapiro
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel; Distinguished Fellow, Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative, Atlantic Council
Moderator
Jacqui Heinrich
Fox News Channel
“Most Israelis are still traumatized by October 7th, still perceive threats on every border, and with good reason, still want to be proactive in preventing those threats. But I think it’s also the case that the opposition leaders…[are] attuned to Israel’s standing in the world, Israel’s standing in the United States, and Israel’s standing with Arab partners that they would like to get back on the road towards some kind of normalization with.” —Dan Shapiro
The panelists discussed Israel’s influence and impact in the Middle East, U.S. public support for Israel, the prevalence of antisemitism, the situation in Gaza, the potential for a two-state solution, and more.
The American Example: 250 Years On
Karl Rove
Senior Advisor & Deputy Chief of Staff to President George W. Bush
Jane Harman
Former Member, U.S. Congress
Kori Schake
Director of Foreign and Defense Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute
Bryan Fenton
13th Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command
Moderator
Edward Luce
Financial Times
“[Bertha Ann Reuter] writes, ‘Americans are a people so extreme in politics or religion or both that they could not live in peace where they came from.’ And the American system, our political system, is designed to both harness that energy and defang it. And I don’t think we should lose confidence that it still has the ability to do so.” —Kori Schake
In this session, the speakers explored how America is living up to its ideals 250 years after its founding, touching on immigration, executive power, the role of the military, and more.
Agents of Change: AI Diffusion, Digital Sovereignty, and Security
Timothy Haugh
4th Commander, U.S. Cyber Command; 19th Director, National Security Agency; Founder, The Haugh Way
Talal M. Al Kaissi
Group Chief Global Affairs Officer, G42; Chief Executive Officer, Core42
Moderator
David E. Sanger
The New York Times
“When you look at this whole talk about the AI race, when you look at a race in any sport, it takes offense and defense. If you’re only playing defense and export controls, you’re not going to win the race. Going on the offense means diffusion. It has to be responsibly diffused and there have to be the right safeguards and controls.”—Talal M. Al Kaissi
This session covered AI and security, including data center resilience, election security, the competition for the most cutting-edge chips, and more.
