Tiedemann Advisors Speaker Series
The Geopolitical Implication of the Ukraine/Russia Crisis
A conversation with Douglas Lute, former United States Ambassador to NATO
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is among the most important geopolitical events since the end of the Second World War. It is already drastically changing the world, including prompting the European Union to take actions that would have been unthinkable even just a few weeks ago. As a result, countries across the globe are rethinking their entire foreign policy and closely watching the horrific humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ukraine and whether the global response to Russia could deter an even greater escalation.
We sat down with retired Lieutenant General Douglas Lute, former Ambassador to NATO to discuss the geopolitical implications of the crisis, NATO's role, and how the world order may shift as result of this war.
The conversation was moderated by Tiedemann Advisors' Director Robert Hormats.
Speaker Biography
Lieutenant General (Retired) Douglas Lute
Former United States Ambassador to NATO
Ambassador Douglas Lute is the former U.S. Ambassador to NATO. Appointed by President Obama, he assumed the Brussels-based post in 2013 and served until 2017. During this period he was instrumental in designing and implementing the 28-nation Alliance’s responses to the most severe security challenges in Europe since the end of the Cold War.
A career Army officer, in 2010 Lute retired from active duty as a lieutenant general after 35 years of service. In 2007 President Bush named him as Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor to coordinate the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2009 he was the senior White House official retained by President Obama and his focus on the National Security Council staff shifted to South Asia. Across these two Administrations, he served a total of six years in the White House.
Before being assigned to the White House, General Lute served as Director of Operations (J3) on the Joint Staff, overseeing U.S. military operations worldwide. From 2004 to 2006, he was Director of Operations for the United States Central Command, with responsibility for U.S. military operations in 25 countries across the Middle East, eastern Africa and Central Asia, in which over 200,000 U.S. troops operated.
Through his military-diplomatic career, he received numerous honors and awards, including three awards of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the State Department’s Distinguished Honor Award, the Grand Officer of the Order of Merit for the Italian Republic, and the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit for the Federal Republic of Germany.
General Lute holds degrees from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and the United States Military Academy at West Point, which named him a Distinguished Graduate in 2018. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations; a charter member of the Flag Officer Advisory Group of the United States Institute of Peace; a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy; a member of the board of the Atlantic Council of the United States.
About our Moderator
Robert Hormats
Managing Director, Tiedemann Advisors
Bob serves as senior counselor to clients with cross-border assets, and also has the responsibility of helping drive the firm’s corporate strategy and business development activities. He was formerly a member of Tiedemann’s Investment Advisory Committee for five years.
Bob’s work in international trade and investment, intellectual property and global energy have taken him to posts in Western Europe, China, India, Russia, the Middle East and South East Asia. His experience in the financial sector includes 25 years at Goldman Sachs (International) rising to the level of Vice Chairman. His government experience spans multiple decades and positions. He has served five U.S. presidential administrations, including as Deputy U.S. Trade Representative with the rank of Ambassador, and Senior Economic advisor to Dr. Henry Kissinger, General Brent Scowcroft and Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski on the National Security Council staff in the White House. His most recent government position was with Secretary Clinton as Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment from 2009 through 2013.
Bob has been a visiting lecturer at Princeton University and a member of both the Board of Visitors of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and the Dean’s Council of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He is currently a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Economic Club of New York. His publications include “The Price of Liberty: Paying for America’s Wars from the Revolution to the War on Terror,” and “Abraham Lincoln and the Global Economy.”
Bob earned a Ph.D. in International Economics from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University.
