In Europe, strategy guards the doorstep.
In Canada, it guards the horizon.
Discover how proximity to conflict defines national security strategy.
Allies at the Frontline
European Playbooks on National Security Strategy
Part of the Rocky Mountain Conference on Security and Defence
While Canada enjoys remarkable safety within its borders, many of our allies live with constant reminders of instability nearby. For them, national security strategy isn’t theoretical — it’s essential. Allies at the Frontline explores how European nations close to conflict develop and implement their national security strategies, and what insights Canada can draw from their experience.
Major General (Ret’d) Theo ten Haaf of the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force, a member of the Netherlands’ Advisory Council on International Affairs, will share perspectives from his work on the Peace and Security Committee and his experience within NATO.
He will be joined by Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Iuri Covaleov, former Deputy Chief of the Romanian Military Intelligence Directorate, whose service in both Ukraine and Russia provides rare insight into the intelligence, diplomatic, and strategic challenges along NATO’s eastern flank.
We also welcome Lt. Gen. (Ret’d) Lech Majewski, former Air Force Commander of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland, whose four-decade career in airpower, defence readiness, and NATO interoperability offers a deep operational and strategic understanding of security planning in Europe.
This discussion forms part of RAUSI’s Fireside Chats on National Security Strategy, a series examining how different nations craft the frameworks that guide defence and security policy.
Thursday, 27 November 2025
1200 hours (Mountain) via Zoom
(1100 PST / 1400 EST / 2000 CET / 2100 EET)
Timeline / Chapters
00:00 – Welcome & introduction to RAUSI and RMCSD
02:45 – Overview of previous U.S. and Canadian strategy sessions
03:52 – Introduction to today’s European focus
04:17 – Netherlands: How the Dutch National Security Strategy is built
05:21 – All-hazards approach, international law, human rights
05:52 – 3-year cycle + twice-yearly trend analysis
06:47 – Resilient democracy & society; climate, economy, social stability
07:37 – NATO 5% goal & partnerships
07:48 – Romania: New National Defence Strategy approved yesterday
08:33 – Constitutional requirement: President must submit strategy within 6 months
09:53 – First public consultation in Romanian history
10:54 – Citizens placed at the centre of the strategy
11:34 – Economy as foundation; ambition for regional influence
12:08 – Poland: Whole-of-government process
12:53 – Threats from Russia; rapid technological change
14:25 – Interagency drafting; role of Ministers, Defence, General Staff
16:08 – Spending 5% of GDP on defence
17:44 – Host-nation + contributing-nation role in NATO
18:52 – Industrial modernization, F-35 and South Korean systems
19:48 – How U.S. strategy influences Europe
21:27 – Alignment with NATO and EU planning frameworks
25:28 – Consensus challenges in EU/NATO
26:26 – Multipolar world, cognitive threats, AI, social influence
27:25 – Europe seeking greater strategic autonomy
28:19 – Romania’s new strategic doctrine: “Independence in Solidarity”
29:26 – Threat analysis: Black Sea, Balkans, Russian hybrid tools
32:54 – Vital national interests & external threats
33:58 – EU support mechanisms and strategic documents
39:04 – Netherlands’ broad threat picture: cyber, climate, terrorism, infrastructure
40:01 – Energy security and Russia’s leverage
48:08 – Europe’s strategic vulnerability: dependence on China for critical minerals
48:58 – OSCE’s role in dialogue and conflict management
52:24 – Audience Q&A
59:46 – Can Europe ever reintegrate Russia?
01:02:09 – The U.S. 28-point plan: Why Europeans call it “capitulation”
01:10:11 – Possible U.S. troop withdrawal & implications
01:14:00 – China’s strategic posture & global implications
01:17:29 – Treaty regimes, multipolar world, endgame scenarios
01:25:01 – Protecting minorities and social cohesion
01:26:12 – Closing remarks & preview of the January session
Learn How Strategy is Forged in Europe
Major General (Ret'd) Theo ten Haaf is a distinguished retired senior officer of the Royal Netherlands Air & Space Force with extensive experience both in operational command and strategic policy advisory roles. In his military career he held leadership positions in air force operations and planning, was commander of the NLD Defence Helicopter Command, and Commander of NLD SOCOM. After retirement he has contributed at the highest levels of Dutch defence and security policymaking.
Currently, he serves on the Peace & Security Committee of the Netherlands’ Advisory Council on International Affairs (AIV), where he helps shape the Netherlands’ perspective on international security, European defence cooperation and NATO-related issues. The AIV provides independent advice to the Dutch government and parliament on foreign policy, including security and defence strategy.
In this role and others, Maj-Gen ten Haaf brings a unique blend of operational insight and strategic foresight — linking his firsthand military background with the broader policy-making environment of Europe’s evolving security landscape.
Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Iuri Covaleov is a retired senior officer of the Romanian Navy and former Deputy Chief of the Romanian Military Intelligence Directorate (ROU MID). Over a distinguished 30-year career, he held leadership roles in naval command, intelligence, and international defence cooperation.
His service includes diplomatic appointments as Romania’s Defence Attaché to Ukraine and Deputy Attaché to the Russian Federation, as well as senior oversight of HUMINT, SIGINT, GEOINT, and ISR operations. A scholar and strategist, he holds a PhD in Military Sciences and Intelligence, a Master’s in Defence Studies from King’s College London, and is an associate professor at Romania’s National Defence University “Carol I.”
Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Covaleov brings a deep understanding of European security, hybrid threats, and the evolving intelligence landscape across NATO’s eastern flank.
Lt. Gen. (Ret’d) Lech Majewski is a retired senior officer of the Polish Air Force and former Air Force Commander of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland. Over a distinguished four-decade career, he held key operational and strategic leadership roles across Poland’s air and air defence forces, rising from fighter pilot to General Commander of the Armed Forces.
He has commanded fighter and reconnaissance regiments, led the 3rd Air Defence Corps, and served as Deputy Commander of the Polish Air and Air Defence Forces. His international experience includes operational-strategic studies at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., and extensive engagement with NATO air power. With more than 2,000 flight hours on aircraft ranging from the MiG-21 and MiG-29 to the F-16 and Mirage 2000, he brings deep operational insight combined with broad strategic vision.
Lt. Gen. Majewski is a former member of the Polish Air Force Academy Council and a visiting professor at the War Studies University. He is currently Vice-President of the Association of Senior Military Airmen of the Republic of Poland, a visiting professor at Wyższa Szkoła Biznesu (Higher Business School) - National-Louis University, and an expert at the Academic Center for Strategic Analysis at War Studies University. His long career positions him as a leading voice on airpower, defence readiness, and NATO interoperability.
The National Security Strategy Fireside Chat Series
This Fireside Chat is the third of a four-part RMCSD series exploring how national security strategies are developed, understood, and ultimately translated into collective defence. If you missed the earlier discussions, recordings are available below.
Register now to participate in part four, Beyond National Playbooks.
America’s Playbook
Exploring How Canada’s Allies Turn National Interests Into Strategy
Diplomacy plays out in front of the cameras. Strategy is written behind closed doors. This session examines how the United States develops its national security strategy—and why that process matters for allies.
- Thomas Wright
Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and former Special Assistant to the U.S. President, who served as lead drafter of the 2022 National Security Strategy. - Lieutenant General Mark C. Schwartz (Ret’d)
U.S. Army, a career Green Beret and former U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, with extensive NATO, UN, and intergovernmental experience.
Canada’s Missing Playbook
Why Canada Needs a Real National Defence Strategy
Our challenges are clear. Our plan is not. This discussion explores the gaps in Canada’s approach to national defence strategy and the implications for readiness, credibility, and alliance contributions.
-
Vincent Rigby
Former National Security & Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister; now Professor of Practice at McGill and Senior Fellow at CSIS. -
BGen Tod Strickland, MSM, CD (Ret’d)
Former Commandant of the Canadian Forces College; operational commander and educator in Canadian military history and strategy.
Allies at the Frontline
European Playbooks on National Security Strategy
In Europe, strategy guards the doorstep. In Canada, it guards the horizon. This session looks at how proximity to conflict shapes European defence planning—and what Canada can learn from it.
-
Major General (Ret’d) Theo ten Haaf
Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force, member of the Netherlands’ Advisory Council on International Affairs. -
Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Iuri Covaleov
Former Deputy Chief of the Romanian Military Intelligence Directorate. -
Lieutenant General (Ret’d) Lech Majewski
Former Air Force Commander of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland.
Watch for details of our next RMCSD presentation in January.
The Rocky Mountain Conference on Security and Defence (RMCSD) is a signature initiative of the Royal Alberta United Services Institute (RAUSI).
RMCSD brings together subject matter experts and the public for non-partisan, hour-long online dialogues exploring the full spectrum of global security and defence issues. Each session begins with focused insights from our speakers, followed by open discussion and audience Q&A.
Our goal is to foster informed, thought-provoking dialogue that helps Canadians better understand the challenges and opportunities shaping today’s security environment.
Learn more about RAUSI and our mission.