Pupin Forum 2025 in Washington, DC

Executive Summary

Held on October 16, 2025, at the International Student House in Washington, D.C., the 2025 Pupin Forum reaffirmed Serbia’s position as a pivotal and forward-looking actor within the transatlantic community. Under the theme Strategic Anchoring: Serbia, the U.S., and the Future of a Connected, Secure, and Open Eastern Europe, the Forum gathered policymakers, diplomats, business leaders, and strategic thinkers from both sides of the Atlantic.

The Forum’s discussions centered on three major pillars — Security, Energy, and Economic Modernization — underscoring Serbia’s emergence as an agile and reliable partner in an era defined by shifting alliances and regional reconfigurations. Through open dialogue and strategic foresight, participants highlighted that Serbia’s integration within Western frameworks is no longer a question of aspiration but of strategic necessity.

The event built upon the success of the June 2025 Pupin Forum in Belgrade, extending the Initiative’s mission from Europe to the heart of Washington. Once again, the Pupin Initiative demonstrated its role as a civic bridge between Serbia and the United States — a platform uniting policy, business, and academia in pursuit of shared democratic and developmental goals.

Opening Conversation: Ambassador Christopher Hill & Vuk Velebit

Overview

The Forum opened with a one-on-one discussion between Ambassador Christopher Hill, former U.S. Ambassador to Serbia, and Vuk Velebit, President of the Pupin Initiative. Their conversation established a forward-looking and pragmatic tone, offering an honest reflection on Serbia’s evolution, challenges, and strategic direction. Hill’s remarks struck a balance between realism and optimism, emphasizing that Serbia’s success depends on confidence, regional cooperation, and an unwavering commitment to reform.

Hill underscored that Serbia must no longer be viewed through the prism of 1999 but as a confident, evolving nation capable of regional leadership. He highlighted energy cooperation, clean technologies, and Expo 2027 as opportunities for modernization and global visibility, while urging greater transparency and communication to attract Western investment. Addressing youth emigration, he called for innovation-driven opportunities at home and praised Serbia’s universities as its strongest asset. Emphasizing equality and strategic autonomy, Hill declared that the era of “Big Brother” politics is over and concluded that Serbia’s future lies firmly on the Western path — a choice of progress, not nostalgia.

Key Message

Ambassador Hill’s discussion underscored a fundamental truth: Serbia’s past should not dictate its future. The nation’s greatest resources lie in its youth, education, and ability to modernize through openness, confidence, and partnership.

Panel I: Unlocking Untapped Potential – Serbia and Eastern Europe’s Emerging Role

Overview

Moderated by Vladimir Milošević, Chairman of the Pupin Initiative, the first panel brought together leading voices from diplomacy, business, and policy: Kaush Arha (Trieste Summit Association), Dragan Šutanovac (Ambassador of Serbia to the U.S.), Benjamin Burnett (Legislative Director & National Security Advisor to Congressman Eric Swalwell), and Tim Doescher (Executive Director, Unleash Prosperity).

The panel explored Serbia’s role in the new European economic and geopolitical architecture — a role defined by connectivity, pragmatic diplomacy, and the ability to attract investment through reliability and reform.

• Kaush Arha highlighted Serbia’s strategic geography as a bridge between Central Europe, the Black Sea, and the Adriatic, urging it to act as a regional connector.

• Benjamin Burnett stressed U.S. policy continuity and called on Serbia to sustain reforms to attract long-term American investment.

• Ambassador Dragan Šutanovac affirmed that Serbia is part of the solution, citing growing defense cooperation and the need for stronger public–private partnerships.

• Tim Doescher praised Serbia’s skilled workforce and business mindset but warned that clear regulations and diversified partnerships are vital for lasting growth.

Key Message

The panel concluded that Serbia’s transformation will depend on three strategic pillars:

1. Integration into Western-led energy and trade corridors,

2. Transparent and predictable business regulation, and

3. Systematic cooperation between government, industry, and academia.

By leveraging its geography, talent, and reform capacity, Serbia can redefine itself as a regional driver of growth and stability, bridging the gap between the Balkans and a more resilient Eastern Europe.

Panel II: Transatlantic Strategy – Building a Resilient Eastern Partnership

Overview

The final panel of the Forum gathered senior American and European policymakers: Amb. Carla Sands (America First Policy Institute), Amb. Geoffrey Pyatt (McLarty Associates), Dr. Alexander Crowther (Center for European Policy Analysis), and Michael Sieveking (American Jewish Committee).

The discussion addressed how Serbia and its neighbors can strengthen the transatlantic alliance through energy diversification, defense coordination, and technological innovation.

• Alexander Crowther emphasized that cybersecurity and critical infrastructure are central to national security, positioning the Balkans as a stabilizing bridge in Europe.

• Ambassador Carla Sands highlighted Energy, Defense, and AI as pillars of resilience, stressing that “America First” means partnership, not isolation.

• Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt called energy diversification Serbia’s strategic opportunity, urging integration into regional LNG and nuclear networks.

• Michael Sieveking noted Serbia’s diplomatic neutrality as an asset for bridging transatlantic and Middle Eastern dialogues grounded in peace and stability.

Key Message

The panel reached a clear consensus: Eastern Europe has become the new engine of renewal within the transatlantic alliance. Serbia’s potential lies in embracing reform, diversification, and innovation. By investing in clean energy, nuclear technology, and digital resilience, Serbia can become:

• a hub of regional stability,

• a connector of energy and data corridors, and

• a trusted partner in the U.S.–European alliance.

As Ambassador Sands summarized: “A strong Europe is a prosperous Europe — and a prosperous Europe begins in the East.”

Closing Remarks

In his closing reflections, Vuk Velebit thanked participants and reaffirmed the Pupin Initiative’s mission to serve as a civic bridge between Serbia and the United States. He emphasized that Serbia’s strategic moment has arrived — one defined not by geography, but by vision, courage, and action.

The Forum closed with an atmosphere of renewed optimism. Serbia was portrayed not as a peripheral actor, but as a central contributor to the future of transatlantic cooperation — a nation capable of balancing tradition with transformation.

Final Reflections & Takeaways

The 2025 Pupin Forum in Washington, D.C., confirmed that Serbia is no longer a passive observer of regional developments but an active architect of its own future.

Three takeaways define this year’s gathering:

1. Strategic Clarity – Serbia’s alignment with Western frameworks is both a moral and practical imperative.

2. Energy and Innovation – Clean technologies and cross-border connectivity form the foundation of Serbia’s sustainable growth.

3. Transatlantic Renewal – The U.S.–Serbia partnership is evolving into a model of pragmatic cooperation, rooted in shared democratic and economic values.

Once again, the Pupin Initiative proved that dialogue, vision, and civic engagement can elevate Serbia’s place in the global community — transforming potential into policy, and policy into partnership.