One complimentary glass of wine or beer for each attendee.

About the Event

To understand how the Ukraine War will be fought in the months to come and the political challenges for NATO, perhaps no American leader has a deeper awareness at the highest levels than former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Douglas Lute. During his 35 years of service in the U.S. Army, retired Lt. General Lute served as Deputy Director of Operations for the U.S. European Command and then as Director of Operations on the Joint Staff – overseeing U.S. military operations worldwide.

General Lute was then appointed by President Bush to serve as Deputy National Security Advisor and stayed in that position at the request of President Obama – serving over 6 years in the White House during both administrations. From 2013 to 2017, he served as our nation’s highest Representative and Ambassador to NATO. During this time, Putin illegally annexed Crimea in 2014 and Russia fomented and militarily supported separatists in Eastern Ukraine in their war that claimed the lives of over 14,000 Ukrainians, before full scale invasion this February.

Ambassador Lute will discuss how the war has evolved militarily over these past 10 months, and how the Ukrainian military was able to first defeat Russia’s attempt to seize their capital Kyiv and then take back large amounts of territory from the Russians. He will review how the tactics, strategies and expectations have changed over time for both Ukraine and Russia. Ambassador Lute will also explain the vital role that more advanced weapons systems from the U.S. and NATO allies have played in Ukraine’s make incredible gains on the battlefield in recent months.

In terms of NATO, he will assess the status of political and economic cohesion among its 28 members nations, and how continuing economic struggles and extremely high energy prices may impact the continuing willingness of NATO nations to collectively support Ukraine and stay united on the severe economic sanctions on Russia. Lastly, Ambassador Lute will address: if the U.S. and NATO should provide even more advanced weapons systems to Ukraine; how the U.S. should respond if Putin uses a tactical nuclear weapon, dirty bomb or otherwise look to draw NATO into direct conflict; and the political and military realities and necessities for the alliance in the years to come.

About the Speaker

21st U.S. Permanent Representative (Ambassador) to NATO
Fmr. U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor
Rt. Lt. General Douglas Lute

Ambassador Douglas Lute is the former United States Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council, NATO’s standing political body. Appointed by President Obama, he assumed the Brussels-based post in 2013 and served until 2017. During this period he was instrumental in designing and implementing the 28-nation Alliance’s responses to the most severe security challenges in Europe since the end of the Cold War. He received the State Department’s Distinguished Honor Award.

A career Army officer, in 2010 Lute retired from active duty as a lieutenant general after 35 years of service. In 2007 President Bush named him as Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor to coordinate the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2009 he was the senior White House official retained by President Obama and his focus on the National Security Council staff shifted to South Asia. Across these two Administrations, he served a total of six years in the White House.

Before being assigned to the White House, General Lute served as Director of Operations (J3) on the Joint Staff, overseeing U.S. military operations worldwide. From 2004 to 2006, he was Director of Operations for the United States Central Command, with responsibility for U.S. military operations in 25 countries across the Middle East, eastern Africa and Central Asia, in which over 200,000 U.S. troops operated.

In earlier assignments he served as Deputy Director of Operations for the United States European Command in Stuttgart, Germany; Assistant Division Commander in the 1st Infantry Division in Germany; Commander of U.S. Forces in Kosovo; and Commander of the Second Cavalry Regiment. Through his military career, he received numerous honors and awards, including three awards of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal.

General Lute holds degrees from the United States Military Academy at West Point and from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a charter member of the Flag Officer Advisory Group of the United States Institute of Peace.