In conversation with H.E. the Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania

How is diplomacy practised in a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty? What can Lithuania’s foreign policy experience tell us about European security, alliance politics and the challenges facing diplomats today?

Hosted by the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD) at SOAS University of London, this special event will welcome H.E. Asta Radikaitė, the Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania to the United Kingdom for a discussion on diplomacy, foreign policy and regional security.

Exploring diplomacy as a profession and a tool of statecraft, the session draws on Lithuania’s position as an EU and NATO member state. The discussion will consider how diplomats navigate an increasingly complex international environment shaped by war in Ukraine, shifting European security priorities, transatlantic relations, and wider political uncertainty across the Baltic-Nordic region and Eastern Europe.

The event will also reflect on the practical dimensions of diplomatic work, offering students an opportunity to learn from a senior practitioner about representation, negotiation, multilateral engagement and the role of embassies in advancing national interests abroad.

The discussion will focus on:

• How diplomacy is practised in contemporary international politics, including the day-to-day work of ambassadors and diplomatic missions.
• Lithuania’s role in European and transatlantic diplomacy, particularly within the EU and NATO.
• The security and policy challenges facing the Baltic-Nordic region and Eastern Europe.
• Diplomatic responses to Russia’s war against Ukraine and its implications for regional and global politics.
• How smaller states shape international agendas, build alliances and respond to moments of geopolitical change.

Bringing together those interested in diplomacy and international affairs, this event offers a valuable opportunity to reflect on the relationship between diplomatic practice, policy-making and contemporary global challenges as well as European policy issues.

Organiser

This event is organised by the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD) at SOAS University of London.