Available to book
Stefanie Babst
Geopolitics
Europe
National Security
Dr. Stefanie Babst brings 22 years at NATO's top decision-making level to strategy on Russia and Ukraine, European security, and geopolitical risk. A trusted advisor to ministers and heads of state, she ranks among Germany's leading female thought leaders.
Political Analyst
Thought Leader
Academic
Educator
Author
Executive
Dr. Stefanie Babst is a security strategist and former NATO official whose decades inside the Alliance's most senior decision-making circles give her a rare, practitioner's understanding of European defence, geopolitical risk, and Russia policy.
Over 22 years at NATO's International Staff, Stefanie rose from German Information Officer to Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, becoming the highest-ranking German woman in the International Staff. From 2012 to 2020 she led NATO's Strategic Foresight Team, advising six NATO Secretaries General and four Chairmen of the Military Committee on emerging risks, future crises, and the Alliance's long-term strategic direction.
Since leaving NATO in 2020, Stefanie has advised European governments, financial institutions, and multinational organisations on international security, serving on the boards of the German Council on Foreign Relations and the Danish Center for War Studies. In 2023, she published Blind Spots on Western strategy toward Russia, since translated into Ukrainian and Estonian.
Drawing on first-hand experience of NATO's strategic planning and an extensive network of senior political and military leaders, Stefanie offers informed analysis of Russia's war against Ukraine, the future of transatlantic security, and Europe's evolving defence landscape. Named among Germany's top female thought leaders and public speakers, she provides straightforward, actionable recommendations grounded in decades of direct experience. Audiences gain unparalleled insights into how strategic decisions are made, what geopolitical developments mean for governments and businesses, and where the greatest risks and opportunities lie in an increasingly uncertain world.
Stefanie brings an insider's understanding of NATO, European security, and geopolitical change, helping audiences make better-informed decisions in a rapidly evolving international environment.
Topics, sessions and talks
Dr. Stefanie Babst examines the twin pressures reshaping NATO: a Russia intent on subjugating Ukraine and unravelling the transatlantic bond that has anchored European security for decades. Drawing on her years inside the alliance, she unpacks why wars are lost as much in narratives and cyberspace as on the battlefield, and challenges policymakers to move beyond crisis management toward a genuine strategic vision. Audiences come away with a sharper sense of what a resilient, forward-looking NATO could look like.
Dr. Stefanie Babst unpacks what happens when Washington steps back from its traditional role in NATO, from softened positions on Russia to reduced military intelligence sharing with Ukraine. She argues that Europe and Canada can no longer wait for American reassurance and must take charge of their own defence, from restructuring NATO's command structure to closing gaps in intelligence and mobility. Audiences leave with a clear-eyed view of what European-led security actually requires.
Featured Projects
often considered together
Alexandra Hall Hall
Geopolitics
Politics
Government
frequently asked questions
Something we've not covered here?
Email stefanie.babst@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm Stefanie's availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience.
Stefanie Babst draws on her 22 years inside NATO's International Staff to frame geopolitical analysis through the lens of institutional decision-making, using her direct experience advising senior Alliance leadership to ground assessments of Russia policy, transatlantic security, and European defence in the mechanics of how those decisions were actually made.
Dr. Stefanie Babst speaks on the future of NATO, US decoupling from Europe, and European-led defence strategy. She served as Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy at NATO and led the Alliance's Strategic Foresight Team from 2012 to 2020, advising six Secretaries General on emerging risks and long-term strategic direction.
No. PepTalk adds no booking fee, so you pay the speaker's fee and nothing beyond it. The service, from shortlist through to contracts and event-day logistics, is included. For repeat or multi-event bookings, PepTalk can agree preferential rates with your procurement team.
Share your event date, audience, format, objectives and budget, and PepTalk sends a hand-picked shortlist within 24 hours. Each suggestion comes with a profile, a fee and a recommendation on the strongest fit. Once you choose, PepTalk handles contracts, travel and logistics through to event day.
The typical fee range is the speaker's standard in-person fee in their home market, shown in their local currency. It moves with format, location, date and session length: virtual sessions and shorter slots usually cost less, while international travel and peak dates cost more. Send your brief to PepTalk and the team will confirm the exact fee in your currency.
Not all of them, and it makes no difference to your booking. PepTalk's network of 15,000+ speakers covers talent the team works with directly alongside speakers represented by agents and agencies worldwide. PepTalk approaches the speaker, negotiates the fee and handles contracting either way.
Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most events, and 12 months is better for large conferences, peak-season dates or one specific in-demand speaker. Shorter timelines are workable, and PepTalk regularly fills last-minute and replacement bookings within days. Availability is the constraint, so get in touch as soon as you have a date.
Get the right person
Tell us what you’re working on and we’ll match you with the talent your audience won’t stop talking about.
