By: Mykola Volkivskyi, Institute for Strategic Risk and Security (ISRS)

July 25, 2025, Washington, D.C.

On July 23, the Institute for Strategic Risk and Security (ISRS) attended a hearing of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa.  The session focused on the Bureau of Counterterrorism’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2026 and featured testimony from Acting Coordinator Gregory LoGerfo.

While the hearing primarily focused on funding, the discussion raised more profound questions about U.S. leadership in global counterterrorism. Mr. LoGerfo addressed the ongoing threat of ISIS, the influence of Iranian-backed militant groups, and the importance of strengthening partnerships across regions and institutions. His remarks indicated a recognition that the counterterrorism framework needs to be updated, not just expanded.

This strategic reorientation is not occurring in isolation.  In June, Acting Coordinator Gregory LoGerfo participated in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Small Group Meeting, hosted in Madrid.  The assembly brought together senior representatives from key coalition partners to assess ongoing efforts to contain ISIS activity in the Middle East and Africa and to reaffirm a joint commitment to long-term stabilization. The U.S. delegation highlighted the importance of sustained operational pressure, coordinated policy measures, and enhancing the capabilities of local partners. These focus areas suggest a broader shift toward proactive and integrated security management.

Just weeks earlier, ISRS was present at the 29th Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum, also held in Madrid at the Spanish Senate. That event brought together lawmakers, senior officials, and international security experts from over 50 countries. ISRS, represented by Mykola Volkivskyi, participated alongside former Congressman Robert Pittenger, who chaired the Forum. The close succession of these two Madrid-based gatherings, the Coalition meeting and the Parliamentary Forum, illustrates a growing convergence between executive and legislative tracks in global counterterrorism strategy. For ISRS, this alignment marks a key step toward fostering long-term coordination across transatlantic institutions and toward elevating parliamentary dialogue as a key element of collective security policy. 

It’s clear that something is shifting. The gap between institutional language and operational reality has narrowed. The hearings in Washington this week and the discussions in Madrid earlier this year demonstrate that policymakers are increasingly aware of how rapidly the landscape is evolving—and how quickly these systems must adapt.

From ISRS’s perspective, four key points stand out:

1. Counterterrorism strategy must be multilateral by design. Coalition-building can’t be symbolic; it must be operational and sustained.
   
   

2. Institutional reform is overdue. Whether it’s about streamlining interagency roles or clarifying jurisdiction, security bureaucracies must be built for today’s threat environment, and not the past.
   
   

3. Parliamentary and legislative forums are essential. They offer not only oversight, but a long-term vision that often escapes short-term executive planning.
   
   

4. Resilience must be built into systems, not added as an afterthought. This includes digital infrastructure, financial monitoring, and the civic space that authoritarian regimes often exploit.

From ISRS’s perspective, the Bureau of Counterterrorism’s budget review is not just an internal administrative matter—it reflects how seriously the United States intends to engage with a rapidly evolving global threat environment. The Bureau plays a key role in shaping U.S. diplomatic and operational responses to terrorism worldwide, including managing important partnerships, supporting foreign law enforcement efforts, and developing counter-radicalization strategies. Ensuring that this agency is properly funded and strategically guided is crucial not only for national security but also for the success of broader multilateral initiatives. In a time when terrorist actors exploit fragile states, digital platforms, and proxy networks, consistent funding and policy alignment are critical to maintaining global stability.

ISRS will continue to closely follow developments in this area. The growing convergence between U.S. and European counterterrorism platforms reflects a timely and necessary shift toward deeper strategic coordination. However, momentum must now be translated into concrete reform and strategic alignment.