The Future of Alliances in a Changing World
Leslie Vinjamuri speaks with Ambassador Julianne Smith about how US alliances are navigating new pressures and what this means for the future of global partnerships.
Jan
13
Ben Stansall / Pool AFP
About This Event
America’s alliances are facing new pressures as global power dynamics shift. As China and Russia deepen their coordination, how is the United States working to align its European and Asian partnerships around shared strategic priorities? How have recent global crises tested US alliances, and what do those tests reveal about their future? And how might these alliances adapt in an era of renewed great-power competition and more transactional diplomacy? Join former US Ambassador to NATO and Distinguished Nonresident Fellow Julianne Smith in conversation with Leslie Vinjamuri as they examine the future of alliances in today’s changing world.
About the Speakers
Distinguished Nonresident Fellow in Defense and Security, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Ambassador Julianne Smith, who served as the former US permanent representative to NATO, is a national security expert with over two decades of experience in US and European defense policy and transatlantic relations. She's held leadership positions at the White House, Department of Defense, and Department of State. Smith joined the Council in 2025 as a distinguished fellow in defense and security.
President & Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Dr. Leslie Vinjamuri joined the Council in 2025 as the president and chief executive officer, after previously serving as director of the US and the Americas program at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, known as Chatham House, in London. She brings nearly 30 years of experience working at the intersection of international affairs, research, policy, and public engagement.
America at 250: The Arc of Global Influence
This content is part of the Council’s America at 250 initiative, a series of high-level dialogues, expert perspectives, public and private programs, and a signature conference focused on the critical questions that will define America’s future.