The French Defence Attaché Office in the Netherlands is proud to host the inaugural Franco-Dutch Defence Talks (FDDT) on 30 September 2025. This event offers a unique opportunity to engage with French and Dutch officials, as well as leading academics and experts from think tanks in both countries, in order to foster a shared Franco-Dutch perspective on defence issues.
This year’s talks will focus on the current state of nuclear deterrence in Europe and explore the future of continental security in the months following the NATO Summit in The Hague. France and the Netherlands, as long-standing members of NATO and committed to nuclear deterrence, face both shared and distinct challenges in this evolving security landscape.
The discussions will examine Europe’s security architecture, the implications of recent geopolitical developments, and the potential need to reevaluate nuclear deterrence strategies. Participants will have the opportunity to hear from leading experts and engage in moderated discussions addressing the strategic, political, and operational aspects of nuclear deterrence in Europe.
Agenda:
- 13:30 – 14 :00 | Registration, coffee & tea
- 14:00 – 14:05 | Welcome remarks by the organisers
- 14:05 – 14:15 | Opening remarks by His Excellency the French Ambassador to the Netherlands François Alabrune
- 14:15 – 15:45 | Keynote address: Pax Atomica – Dr. Bruno Tertrais, Deputy Director of la Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique (including moderated questions from Dr. Tim Sweijs)
- 15:45 – 16:15 | Coffee and tea
- 16:15 – 17:45 | Panel: The future of nuclear deterrence in Europe, which perspectives three months after the Hague’s NATO Summit? (incl. Moderated questions by Dr. Davis Ellison, HCSS)
- Héloïse Fayet, Institut Français des Relations Internationales
- Dr. Linde Desmaele, Leiden University
- Prof. Isabelle Duyvesteyn, Leiden University
- Dr. Florian Galleri, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- 17:45 – 18:00 | Closing remarks by the organisers
Event Details:
- Location: The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies, Lange Voorhout 1, The Hague
