Nicholas Williams

Nicholas Williams

Former Senior NATO Official, European Leadership Network, CERIS

NATO, NATO-EU Relationship, Transatlantic Relations, Strategy & Security issues, Defence, Terrorism, Counter Terrorism

Biography

Mr. Nicholas Williams had filled a series of policy and public communications posts in London and in NATO, including as speech writer to three NATO Secretary Generals. He began his career in the British Ministry of Defence working on defence policy and planning issues, with multiple secondments to NATO functions during the Cold War and to the French Ministry of Defence in its aftermath. From 1997 to 1999 he was Assistant Director for Counter-terrorism in the British Ministry of Defence. From 2000-2003 he was attached to the policy directorate of the French Ministry of Defence where he was responsible for developing NATO-EU relations and Franco-British defence cooperation. He was a long-serving member of NATO’s International Staff, most recently as Head of Operations for Afghanistan and Iraq. Prior to this, Nick served in senior positions in NATO, EU, and British missions in Afghanistan, Bosnia Herzegovina, and Iraq. In 2005, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire for having negotiated the first post-Saddam provincial Council in Basra and, in 2007, he was awarded the Queen’s Medal for his distinguished services in Bosnia & Herzegovina. In November 2009, he completed two and a half years in Afghanistan working with ISAF, first as political adviser to ISAF forces in the south, based in Kandahar, and latterly as Deputy NATO Senior Representative in Kabul. During his career he has worked extensively in conflict and post conflict countries, both Iraq and the Balkans. He is an experienced specialist in the field of security issues and conflict resolution. He is a Senior Associate Fellow for the European Leadership Network (ELN) and Vice President of the Academic Board of CERIS-ULB Diplomatic School of Brussels (since 2021).

interviews (non-exhaustive list)

All NATO members, not only UK, can deliver nuclear arms to bloc if Russia attacks, Nicholas Williams (Vice President of CERIS) on Qnews, 11 October 2024.

Can the UK keep its promises to Ukraine?, Nicholas Williams on Times Radio, 3 Jully 2023.

Nicholas Williams (Vice President of CERIS) was interviewed on Qposts about the war in Ukraine, May 2023

Nicholas Williams about Russian allegations regarding British Forces actions, Nicholas Williams (Vice President of CERIS, Former Senior Official UK Ministry of Defence and NATO) interviewed on Sky News about Russian allegations regarding British Forces actions in Ukraine. 04/11/2022.

Is Putin retaliating against sanctions by starving Ukrainians?, Nicholas Williams (Vice President of the CERIS-ULB Diplomatic School of Brussels) was interviewed on Times Radio. 19/05/2022.

War in Ukraine on Sky News, Nicholas Williams (Vice President of the CERIS-ULB Diplomatic School of Brussels) was interviewed on Sky News about the war in Ukraine. 05/05/2022.

East West Coffee Shop | NATO Summit by Nicholas Williams, Katarina Kertysova & Simon Lunn, 10 June 2021.

The Importance of History in Conflict Resolution in Afghanistan” – Panel discussion, Nick Williams, Head of NATO’s Afghanistan Team, discusses the past and present challenges and opportunities of NATO in Afghanistan, This video is part of a series featuring a panel discussion on the importance of history in conflict resolution in Afghanistan, hosted by the NATO Archives and NATO’s Women, Peace and Security Office on 9 December 2015 at NATO HQ, Brussels.

Articles (non-exhaustive list)

Trump’s return fills Nato with dread by Nicholas Williams (Vice President of CERIS), CAPX, 12 November 2024.

The challenge of Russia dual-capable missiles by Nicholas Williams & Simon Lunn, European Leadership Network-ELN, 17 July 2024.

NATO’s revival of collective defence and the challenge of national commitments by Nicholas Williams and Simon Lunn, European Leadership Network-ELN, 9 July 2024

Kosovo: More than a local flare-up by Nicholas Williams, European Leadership Network-ELN, 26 June 2023.

Turkey: the Disruptive Ally?, By Nicholas Williams, The Ambassador Partnership, 24 November 2022.

Reflection on NATO’s Madrid Summit: Deterrence through confrontation? by Nicholas Williams & Simon Lunn, , European Leadership Network-ELN, 16 September 2022.

NATO 2030: What price transatlantic unity after Afghanistan and AUKUS? by Nicholas Williams & Simon Lunn, The Ambassador Partnership, 28 October 2021.

NATO 2030: “A global Alliance for all seasons”, reality or rhetoric? by Nicholas Williams & Simon Lunn, , European Leadership Network-ELN, 8 June 2021.