October 20th-21st, 2023
8th ZAGREB SECURITY FORUM 2023
Transatlantic Cooperation and New Security Architecture
Organized by Hybrid Warfare Research Institute & St. George Association
at University of Defence and Security, Ilica 256b, Zagreb
Day 0: Thursday, October 19th, 2023
20:00 Dinner for Speakers, Panel Chairs, and Guests of Honor (Invitation only)
Day 1: Friday, October 20th, 2023
09:00 – 09:30 Arrival and Registration
09:30 - 09:45 Opening Ceremony
Assist.Prof. Gordan Akrap, Hybrid Warfare Research Institute, Zagreb
Mr. Holger Haibach, Head of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Office in Zagreb and Ljubljana
Prof.Dr. Shlomo Shpiro, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan
Prof.Dr. Ivo Lučić, rector of University of Defence and Security Dr. Franjo Tuđman, Zagreb
09:45- 10.45 Keynote Speakers
Transatlantic Cooperation and New Security Architecture
- General (ret.) Erhard Buehler, former Commander of KFOR and Joint Warfare Center
- ms Dubravka Šuica, Vicepresident of European Commission (tbc)
- Mr. Matej Tonin, fomer Minister of Defence, Slovenia
- Dr. Mario Banožić, Minister of Defence, Croatia (tbc)
- Mr. Andej Plenković, Prime Minister of Croatia (tbc)
10:45-11:10 Coffee Break
11:10-13:10 Panel I
Threats to NATO – from Cold war to Russian aggression in 2022 – Lessons Identified – Lessons Learned - joint Lithuanian-Ukrainian panel
Chair: General (ret.) Erhard Buehler, former Commander of KFOR and Joint Warfare Center
Col. Viacheslav Semenenko, PhD, the Deputy Head of the Center for Military Strategic Studies, National Defence University of Ukraine: Developing Ukrainian resiliency against Russian aggression as a Comprehensive mode of actions
Assoc. Prof. dr. Gintaras Labutis, Military academy of Lithuania: European Green Deal for security and defence in the light of present war in Ukraina?
Col. Arturas Jasinkas, Ministy of National Defence of Lithuania: The role of Strategic Communication and Crisis Management in countering Hybrid Threats through the study and analysis of practical case studies of Lithuania
Col. Serhii Moiko, Military Academy of Ukraine: Peculiarities of Soviet /Russian Active Measures: comparative case analysis
Marzena Żakowska, PhD, War Studies University in Warsaw, and Witold Ostant, PhD, War Studies University in Warsaw: War in Ukraine - is Peace Possible? (ONLINE)
13:10-14:10 Lunch (one non-alcoholic beverage included)
14:10-16:00 Panel II
Hybrid Threats and Resiliency of Society
Chair: Prof.Dr. Iztok Podbregar, University of Maribor, Slovenia
Dr. Vira Ratsiborynska, Adjunct professor on NATO and transatlantic approaches to security, Free University of Brussels (VUB): Strategic security environment and NATO’s perspectives in developing effective Strategic Communications from 2014 till now (2014-2022)
Dr. Anders Strindberg, Swedish Defence Research Agency-FOI, Sweden: “Democratic Security”: values and principles as critical assets
Prof.Dr. Gilliam de Valk, University of Leiden: Four types of warning in CIP
Dr. Eleni Kapsokoli, University of Piraeus, Greece: Digital Jihad model: the case of ISIS
Dr. Andrew Liaropoulos, University of Piraeus, Greece: Emerging Disruptive Technologies and EU Cybersecurity
16:30-18:10 Panel III
Foreign Fighters as a Russian Tool of Influence
Chair: Prof.Dr. Aleksandra Gasztold, University of Warsaw/NASK, Poland
Prof. Dr. Shlomo Shpiro, Bar Ilan University, Israel: Iran and Russia against Ukraine
Prof.Dr. Darko Trifunović, Institute for National and International Security - INIS, Serbia: Chechen's and Night Wolves in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina – vectors of Russian influence
Dr. Barak Bouks, The Europa Institute, School of Communications & Department of Political Studies, Bar Ilan University, Israel: The Iranian Involvement at the War in Ukraine and its Implications on Broader Arenas - The Test Case of Unmanned Drones
Ljubomir Filipović, PhD candidate: Russian vectors of influence against Montenegro – activities and consequences – Lessons Identified – Lessons Learned
Assist. Prof. Marta Vrbetic, University independent Scholar and Former Policy Fellow, Woodrow Wilson Center, Washingtn D.C., USA: Misusing the West's Bosnia Policy and Undermine Dayton
20:15 -
Networking dinner for all Forum participants, (two non-alcoholic beverages included)
Day 2: Saturday, October 21st, 2023
Introduction to second day of 8th Zagreb Security Forum
10.00-11.50 Panel IV
Russian intelligence – important vector of Russian hybrid attacks – Lessons Identified and Lessons Learned
Chair: Liubov Tsybulska, Head of the Center for Strategic Communication and information security, Ministry of culture and information policy, Ukraine
Dr. Przemyslaw Gasztold, IPN and War Studies University, Warsaw, Poland: „Modus operandi of Russian intelligence services: from the Cold War to War in Ukraine”
Dr. Yaacov Falkov, University of Tel Aviv, Israel: Russian (counter)intelligence activities in Middle East
MG (ret) Paul Hurmuz, former NATO Deputy Director
of the Intelligence division and Senior Military Coordinator for JISR;
New Strategy Center, Romania: The War in Ukraine and the Impact of the Russian Hybrid Warfare in the Extended Black Sea Region
Assoc.Prof. Thomas Wegener Friis, University Southern Denmark: Europe and Russian Foreign Intelligence in times of War
Asisst. Prof. Wladyslaw Bulhak, IPN, Poland: „An illegal method in Soviet-type intelligence work. The case of the intelligence of communist Poland”
11:50-12:15 Coffee Break
12.15-14.00 Panel V
Young Researchers Forum and Hybrid Threats Resiliency
Chair: ir. Yvan de Mesmaeker (M.Sc.Eng.), ECSA, Belgium
Prof.Dr. Per-Erik Nilsson, FOI, Sweden: "Be Brave Like Ukraine" - Wartime Strategic Communication in a Time of Deep Mediatiation
Celien De Stercke, PhD candidate and Prof.Dr. Jelle Janssens, University of Gent, Belgium: The weaponization of organized crime in the context of hybrid warfare: challenges for the Belgian security architecture
Margareta Gregić, PhD candidate, Jelena Božić, PhD candidate, University North, Croatia: Crisis management through verbal and non-verbal communication – Zelensky vs Putin
Tomislav Vazdar, PhD candidate, University of Zagreb: Uncovering the Strategic Culture of Hybrid Threats: How to adapt and Defend in Modern Age?
14.00-14.15 Forum Conclusions
Future Challenges, Joint Responses
Co-chairs: Assist.Prof. Gordan Akrap, Prof. Dr. Shlomo Shpiro
The aim of this session is to integrate the lessons learned from the individual presentations of the previous two days, both in terms of threat analysis and of networked responses. Furthermore, this session will facilitate a wider discussion on the needs for joint capacity building, intensive inter-operability, and mutual multi-level crisis assistance.
14:15-15:45 Lunch (one non-alcoholic beverage included)
- Forum is organised according to pandemic situation in a hybrid way – “in situ” and online
- Every activities will follow instructions and recommendations due to the disease prevention.
- Forum organisers are reserving the right to change the Program according to the necessities.