Co-Funded by the European Union. Justin Petelka is a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Washington's Information School who studies U.S. and EU Data Privacy Laws. This session occurred at the 2025 EU Policy Forum Educator Workshop: Europe and the EU: Alone in a Multipolar World? at the UW on August 12, 2025. | Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Co-Funded by the European Union. Dr. Markku Jokisipilä is a Distinguished Professor of Contemporary History, University of Turku in Finland, and Dr. Monika Sus is Professor of Political Science at the Institute of Political Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, part-time Professor at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute and member of Team Europe Direct Poland. Moderated by Ryan Hauck, Global Classroom, World Affairs Council in Seattle. This session occurred at the 2025 EU Policy Forum Educator Workshop: Europe and the EU: Alone in a Multipolar World? at the University of Washington on August 12, 2025. | Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Co-Funded by the European Union. John A. Albert is an Associate Researcher at the Institute for Information Law (IViR) where he contributes to the Digital Services Act (DSA) Observatory. Nicole H. Buckley is an Associate at K&L Gates’ Seattle office and a member of the Technology Transactions and Sourcing group. Moderated by Jessica Beyer, Assistant Teaching Professor and the Lead of the Jackson School’s Cybersecurity Initiative. This panel discussion occurred at the 2025 EUCOS Policy Symposium at the University of Washington. | Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Co-Funded by the European Union. Ambassador Michael Carpenter, formerly the Senior Director for Europe at the National Security Council of the Biden Administration, discusses challenges faced by the EU. This lecture was the EU Common Security Lecture at the 2025 Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union. | Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Co-Funded by the European Union. Dustin Ellis, Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at Eastern Oregon University, discusses the the 2024 European Parliament Election and Other 2024 Summer Elections. | Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Co-Funded by the European Union

Ambassador Mark Gitenstein

US Ambassador to the European Union, 2021-2025

US Ambassador to Romania, 2009-2012

How is the EU accession process proceeding with Moldova, Ukraine and other aspiring entrants in the region? Ambassador Gitenstein will offer an assessment of the European Commission’s application of its various enforcement tools to ensure compliance by member states of their treaty obligations. He will additionally discuss the role of the United States in supporting those processes and the role played by hostile powers like Russia in undermining them. Furthermore, Ambassador Gitenstein will consider the disturbing deterioration of independent media in the region as the essential bulwark for democracy, free markets and against corruption and backsliding.

Ambassador Audra Plepytė

Ambassador of Lithuania to the United States and Mexico, 2021-Present

Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the United Nations, 2017-2021

Ambassador Audra Plepytė was appointed as Lithuania’s Ambassador to the United States of America and to the United Mexican States in 2021. Before this she was a Lithuanian Permanent Representative to the United Nations where she facilitated several negotiations, led the Group of Friends, and was elected to executive bodies of UN instruments and institutions, including being elected as the President of the Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 2021. As a career diplomat for over 30 years, she has held numerous positions within the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dealing with bilateral and multilateral issues, heading the European Union Department (2014–2017), the Personnel Department, and International Missions and Conflict Prevention Division. She was also Lithuania’s ambassador to Spain, World Tourism Organization from 2010 till 2014. Ambassador Plepytė has BA and MA in Philosophy at Vilnius University. She also has a diploma from the Institute of International Relations at Vilnius University, as well as a certificate of Diplomatic studies at Oxford University in UK.

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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

2024 EU Summer Teacher Workshop Audio 5 Dustin Ellis PRODUCED by The Center European Studies and EU Center

Co-Funded by the European Union. Deputy Secretary General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller gives the Keynote Speech at the 2024 Undergraduate Research Conference on the EU. | Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Co-Funded by the European Union. Associate Professor Guntis Šmidchens, Director CEREAS and Head of Baltic Studies discusses the experience of Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia in the European Union at the 2024 EU Policy Forum Educator Workshop. This annual workshop is organized at the University of Washington by the Center for European Studies and the Jean Monnet Center of Excellence. | Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Co-Funded by the European Union. Dean LaRue, a lecturer at the University of Washington's Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, discusses the origins of the European Union and its development with special attention to the 2004 "Big Bang" accession of new EU Member States at the 2024 EU Policy Forum Educator Workshop. This annual workshop is organized at the University of Washington by the Center for European Studies and the Jean Monnet Center of Excellence. | Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.