On 20 April 2009, Richard Danzig, the 71st U.S. Secretary of the Navy, was hosted in Paris for a day of exchanges on security, defence policy, and transatlantic relations. Danzig, who had served under President Bill Clinton, brought a wealth of experience in naval strategy, military reform, and U.S. foreign policy.

The event featured both a breakfast and a lunch, each moderated by François Roche, then director of Foreign Policy France — for which Fabien Baussart held the licence in France and Ukraine. The breakfast provided journalists and experts with the opportunity to explore U.S. perspectives on military transformation and the strategic role of maritime power in global security.

The lunch gathered diplomats, politicians, and policymakers for a broader conversation on the future of NATO, U.S.–European cooperation, and emerging challenges in the Middle East and Asia. Danzig’s analysis underlined the importance of adaptability in defence planning and the need for stronger transatlantic engagement in an increasingly uncertain world.