In mid-March this semester, three of my IU classmates and I were honored to be chosen to participate in “Energy Diplomacy: Central Europe Takes Charge of its Own Destiny,” a two-day virtual workshop hosted by the Ford School and CREES (Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies) at the University of Michigan. Led by David Kostelancik, the Director of the Office of South-Central Europe at the U.S. State Department and a career foreign service officer, provided an excellent opportunity for us to employ the skills and knowledge that we have gained in the Hamilton Lugar School and the Robert F. Byrnes Russian and East European Institute in a practical application.
On the first day of the workshop, Mr. Kostelancik discussed energy diplomacy in Central and Eastern Europe, focusing in particular on the U.S. role in ensuring energy independence for the region. He focused on the Belt & Road Initiative, the Three Seas Initiative, and the importance of promoting a “whole, free, secure, and prosperous Europe.” He emphasized that energy diplomacy and independence mean not only natural gas and oil, but cyber infrastructure as well. Reflecting on the workshop, another participant, Kyle Tucker, an IU undergraduate major in International Studies and an REEI minor, commented that “Central European Energy Independence is a rather understudied topic, so it was really exciting to explore this issue through the lens of the Three Seas Initiative.”
As a follow-up homework assignment, each participant wrote an Action Memo for the Asst. Secretary of State for European Affairs on a topic of their choosing that related to Energy Diplomacy. Mr. Kostelancik instructed us to consider the acronym DIME (Diplomatic, Intelligence, Military, Economic) when constructing our recommendations and analysis. After we submitted our Memos, Mr. Kostelancik emailed each of us individually with detailed comments and feedback on our documents. On the following day, the students were grouped together and given fifteen minutes to prepare a brief presentation for Mr. Kostelancik and the other participants in which we would make a group recommendation for action. I found this exercise extremely useful as a more practical application for our experience.
Over these two days, I learned a lot about Action/ Policy Memos and how policy is proposed and discussed on an international level. The workshop reinforced my desire to pursue a career in the U. S. State Department. I highly recommend that any HLS student and REEI student take advantage of opportunities like this in the future.
Kait Lee received an MA in Russian and East European Studies in March, 2021.