On September 23, 2025, the Marshall Center’s Program on Applied Security Studies (PASS) convened a high-level plenary session in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, placing economic dynamics at the core of strategic security discussions. The event brought together international security experts to explore the intersection of economics and geopolitics in an era marked by intensifying global competition.
Marc Ozawa, Ph.D., associate professor of strategic security studies at the Marshall Center, opened the session by highlighting how economic tools—such as trade policies, financial systems, and energy flows—are increasingly leveraged as instruments of national influence.
“Commerce cannot be separated from geopolitics—especially when adversaries do not make that separation,” Ozawa stated, underscoring the blurred lines between economic activity and national security strategy.
Following this foundation, the afternoon panel analyzed how major powers like China and Russia are reconfiguring international trade networks and altering security frameworks. U.K. Parliamentarian Tobias Ellwood pointed to deliberate efforts to manipulate critical supply chains, noting that such tactics pose significant challenges for democratic nations.
“It’s about controlling essential components, restricting access, and creating dependencies,” Ellwood explained. “That’s the strategic vulnerability we must address.”
Koray Köse, a senior fellow at GLOBSEC and specialist in global supply chain strategy, argued that long-term stability depends on proactive adaptation rather than reactive measures. He defined resilience not merely as preparedness, but as active decision-making in complex environments.
“True resilience involves taking initiative, assessing risks independently, and acting decisively,” Köse emphasized. “Only through such agency can countries safeguard their economic and security interests.”
Participants left with a reinforced understanding of how innovation, leadership, and adaptive systems are vital to maintaining national strength. In a follow-up post on LinkedIn, Köse summarized his message:
“Before me: an auditorium of future generals. My message was clear. Supply chains are the arteries of national power. When they break, nations bleed. We cannot fight tomorrow’s wars with yesterday’s supply chains and technology.”
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Program on Applied Security Studies Panel: Economic Resilience and Economic Coercion
On Sept. 23, 2025, the Marshall Center’s Program on Applied Security Studies (PASS) plenary in Garmisch-Partenkirchen put economics front and center. n nFirst, a plenary of security professionals representing countries around the world heard from Marc Ozawa, Ph.D., Marshall Center associate professor of strategic security studies, on the topic of “Economic Resilience and Economic Coercion in a Globalized World. n n“Commerce cannot be separated from geopolitics—especially when adversaries do not make that separation,” he said, explaining how economic instruments like trade, finance, and energy are increasingly employed as tools of statecraft. n nBuilding on Ozawa’s emphasis that economics cannot be separated from politics and security in an era of strategic competition, the afternoon session examined how China and Russia are reshaping global trade and security structures. n n“That is all about disrupting supply chains, of hogging the supply chains and having monopolies over the ingredients that you need to make stuff,” said U.K. Parliamentarian Tobias Ellwood, “And that’s the dilemma that we actually face.” n nThe solution to this dilemma, as presented by Koray Köse, GLOBSEC senior fellow and global supply chain strategist, is resilience: n n“Resilience means not just waiting to see what happens, but taking a side, analyzing the situation, and making decisions for yourself,” he said. “Because only then can you truly prevent disruption.” n nHis emphasis on innovation, proactive leadership, and resilience to prevent crises was a clear takeaway for participants, who will leave PASS more prepared to advise and decide in their own nations and organizations, while summarizing his presentation on LinkedIn: n n“Before me: an auditorium of future generals. My message was clear. Supply chains are the arteries of national power. When they break, nations bleed. n n“We cannot fight tomorrow’s wars with yesterday’s supply chains and technology.”