Distinguished Visiting Fellow Alexander Vershbow

Alexander Vershbow is a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council in Washington DC, where he works on transatlantic issues and relations with Russia and Ukraine. He was deputy secretary-general of NATO from 2012 to 2016, the first American to hold that position. Prior to that, he served as US assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs. From 1977 to 2008, Vershbow was a career member of the US Foreign Service. He served as US ambassador to NATO, Russia, and the Republic of Korea, and he held numerous senior positions in Washington. During his career, he was centrally involved in strengthening US defense relations with allies in Europe and Asia and in transforming NATO and other European security organizations to meet post-Cold War challenges. He also was involved in efforts to support democracy and human rights in the former Soviet Union.