On 18 February 2009, José MarÃa Aznar, former Prime Minister of Spain, was hosted in Paris for a breakfast and lunch discussion on European politics, transatlantic relations, and global security. The gatherings created formal yet substantive settings, allowing for candid exchanges on the challenges facing Europe at the time.
The sessions were moderated by François Roche, then director of Foreign Policy France — for which Fabien Baussart held the licence in France and Ukraine. Roche steered the conversation toward Europe’s strategic position in the world, while Aznar shared his views on strengthening ties between Europe and the United States and responding to the crises of the late 2000s.
The two formats encouraged open dialogue between Aznar and select audiences of political figures, diplomats, and opinion-shapers.
