The Warsaw Enterprise Institute and New Direction – the Foundation for European Conservatism, in cooperation with The Heritage Foundation, are honored to invite you to participate in an international conference entitled: “Nations First Forum. Prospects for Transatlantic Cooperation and the Future of Nations,” which will be held on February 24, 2026, in Warsaw.

The conference will bring together experts, politicians, researchers, and analysts from Europe and the United States, including representatives of American and European think tanks, former and current decision-makers, diplomats, and specialists in security, economics, energy, and culture. Participants will include individuals who are actively involved in shaping public policy and the transatlantic strategic debate.

Conference context

The conference is taking place at a turning point for the future of the transatlantic community, when it is necessary to redefine common interests and challenges. Changes in American perceptions of security and alliances, growing pressure to limit international commitments, and the shifting of the burden of ensuring security to Europe pose serious challenges for European countries. The full-scale war in Ukraine, a direct result of Russia's aggressive policy, has undermined the foundations of the post-war security order in Europe and highlighted the scale of the threats to the region's stability. Moscow's actions, including military aggression, energy pressure, disinformation, and attempts to destabilize neighboring countries, pose a lasting challenge to European security, particularly for Central European countries, whose stability depends on the continued presence of the US.

At the same time, the West is facing growing protectionist policies, trade disputes, subsidies, and market restrictions. These trends undermine the foundation of free trade, which for decades has been one of the greatest successes of Western civilization, a source of growth, innovation, and prosperity. An additional challenge is the US-China rivalry, which is increasingly affecting transatlantic relations. The United States expects Europe to take a more unambiguous stance towards Beijing, which reveals divisions within the EU. Differences in approaches to energy transition, climate policy, Big Tech regulation, and digital security further complicate cooperation.

In this context, the aim of the conference is not only to diagnose the current state of transatlantic relations, but also to identify realistic scenarios for their further development which, from the point of view of the interests of European nations, will strengthen European responsibility for the security and stability of the region, while maintaining lasting and pragmatic cooperation with the United States and rebuilding the economic, political and civilizational foundations of the West.

Below is the event agenda (more speakers coming soon!):

09:00–09:30 Welcome & Opening Remarks

        Tomasz Wróblewski, President of WEI

09:30–09:50 Featured Speaker

        Mateusz Morawiecki, former Prime Minister of Poland, President of ECR Party and Board Member of New Direction

09:50–11:00 Session 1. Economy and Prosperity: Trade, Energy, and Competition

        Carla Sands, Chair of the Foreign Policy Initiative and Distinguished Senior Fellow for Energy Policy at America First Policy Institute

        Lorenzo Montanari, vice president of International Affairs, Tholos Foundation

11:00–11:15 Coffee Break

11:15–11:35 Featured Speaker

        Thomas Rose, US Ambassador to Poland

11:35–12:45 Session 2. The New World Disorder: Security, Power, and the Future of Transatlantic Community

        Marek Magierowski, Former Ambassador to the US

        Matthew Boyse, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute

        Robert Wilkie, Co-Chair, for American Security at America First Policy Institute

        Radoslaw Fogiel, MP and Member of the Advisory Council of New Direction

        Paul McCarthy, Senior Research Fellow, European Affairs, The Heritage Foundation

12:45–13:45 Lunch

13:45–14:05 Featured Speaker

        Micah Rea, Trump-Vance Appointee at the U.S. Department of Commerce, Director, Faith Based Initiatives, Office of the Secretary

14:05–15:15 Session 3. Civilization Under Pressure: Faith, Freedom and the New Ideology

        Mario Bramnick, President, Latino Coalition for Israel

        Rachel Sheffield, Research Fellow in The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Health and Welfare Policy

        Tomasz Wróblewski, President of WEI

        Prof. Andrzej Nowak, Polish Historian

Source, WEI