In order for us to be able to accept and grade your essay, you must sign the special sign-in sheet that will be at the entrance of the seminar room.

After attending this event, you must submit an essay that addresses the following concerns. You will submit only one version (extra-credit essays are not revised).

Your essay must be at least 1.5 pages but no more than 2.0 pages in length.

Essay Prompt:

• In his talk, Ambassador Aalto described a number of sources of tension between the Russia, the E.U., and the U.S.A. In 1.5-2 pages, answer the following questions (organized as you wish): What does Ambassador Aalto see as the main causes of these tensions and what effects could current trends in Europe and the U.S. have on them? What does he see as important policies for Europe and the U.S. to maintain or adopt going forward? To what extent did you agree with his arguments and why?

Assume your audience is a typical University of Illinois student, but not a student in Physics 280. Begin each paragraph with a strong topic sentence and omit any information that is not essential for addressing the points listed above. Make your paragraphs clear, concise, and to the point. Avoid repetition and unnecessary words, especially adjectives and adverbs, and use active voice.

The Student Handbook provides complete guidance on how to format and submit an extra-credit essay and how the score you earn on an extra-credit essay is counted in computing your total course score. Be sure to review the writing assignment submission checklist in the Handbook before you turn in your essay!