NSI and the Embassies of Estonia, Denmark, and Norway hosted an important discussion on transatlantic security challenges featuring senior diplomatic leaders. His Excellency Kristjan Prikk, Ambassador of Estonia to the United States; Ambassador Stig P. Piras, Deputy Chief of Mission of Denmark to the United States; and Ambassador Bård Ivar Svendsen, Deputy Chief of Mission of Norway to the United States provided insights on protecting the rules-based international order, countering hybrid threats, and supporting nations defending their sovereignty. As geopolitical tensions rose, exacerbated by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the conversation explored recent examples of hybrid warfare tactics used by authoritarian regimes and the strategic steps needed to bolster transatlantic resilience.

The event began with opening remarks from NSI Senior Fellow Andrew Borene, followed by a keynote statement from Ambassador Kristjan Prikk, who provided Estonia’s perspective on the evolving security landscape. A panel discussion followed, featuring Ambassador Prikk, Ambassador Stig P. Piras, and Ambassador Bård Ivar Svendsen, moderated by Martha Miller, NSI Deputy Executive Director.

 

Guest Speakers:

• Ambassador Kristjan Prikk, Ambassador of Estonia to the United States
• Ambassador Stig P. Piras, Deputy Chief of Mission of Denmark to the United States
• Ambassador Bård Ivar Svendsen, Deputy Chief of Mission of Norway to the United States

Moderator: Martha Miller, NSI Deputy Executive Director

Host: Andrew Borene, NSI Senior Fellow

 

 

Speaker Bios

 

Andrew Borene

Andrew Borene is the Executive Director for Global Security at Flashpoint, a threat intelligence firm, and serves on the boards of the Special Operations Association of America and the European Marshall Center’s Partnership for Peace Consortium. A former senior officer in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he has held key government roles, including at the CIA and Pentagon, focusing on counterterrorism, advanced technology, and interagency strategy. In the private sector, he has led cybersecurity and IT units for Fortune 500 companies and served as CEO of a publicly traded firm. Andrew is also an experienced educator, teaching at institutions like Georgetown and George Mason University. He holds a JD from the University of Minnesota Law School and a BA from Macalester College, with honors including the FBI Director’s Award and the ODNI Exceptional Achievement Award.

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Martha Miller

As Deputy Executive Director at the National Security Institute (NSI), Martha Miller oversees NSI’s strategic direction, operational leadership, educational outreach, policy initiatives, and key partnerships with government, academia, and industry. With over two decades of experience in U.S. foreign policy and national security, she has held senior roles at the White House, Capitol Hill, and the State Department, including serving as Special Assistant to President George W. Bush. Her expertise spans congressional outreach, legislative efforts, and international diplomacy. Beginning her career in transatlantic relations at the U.S. Embassy Office in Berlin and the German Bundestag, she also studied at l’Université Paul Valéry-Montpellier III and speaks French and German. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Martha is dedicated to educating future national security leaders and advancing U.S. global leadership.

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Ambassador Stig P. Piras

Ambassador Stig P. Piras is the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Denmark in the United States.

Ambassador Piras has had an extensive career in both the Foreign Service and at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Denmark.

Before arriving in Washington D.C., he was Danish ambassador to the Republic of Iraq from 2020-2022. Ambassador Piras has also been, Deputy Director for Asia and Latin America, Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan (2017-2020), and Deputy Head of Mission, Counsellor, at the Embassy of Denmark in Ankara, Republic of Turkey (2013-2017).

Ambassador Piras has previously worked at the Embassy of Denmark in Washington D.C., when he held the position as First Secretary for three years (2005-2008).

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Ambassador Kristjan Prikk

Kristjan Prikk has served as Estonia’s Ambassador to the U.S. since May 2021. Throughout his civil career, he had several roles within the Estonian Ministry of Defense. He’s overseen the management and coordination of defense forces, foreign intelligence, and defense investments; coordinated, developed, and implemented the whole-of-government interagency approach to national defense; advised the prime minister on security matters, and much more. Leading up to his assignment in the U.S., Kristjan served for nearly three years as Permanent Secretary—the highest civil position within the Estonian Ministry of Defense.

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Ambassador Bård Ivar Svendsen

Deputy Chief of Mission Bård Ivar Svendsen most recently served as Norway’s Ambassador to the Netherlands and Luxembourg and Permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Prior to that, he was Norway’s Ambassador for Arctic and Antarctic Affairs (2018-20), the Norwegian Ambassador to Azerbaijan (2014-18), and served in many additional roles in the Norwegian Foreign Service.

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