Ambassador (Ret.) Charles Ries is Senior Fellow, Adjunct at the RAND Corporation. He served as RAND Vice President, International between 2012 and 2020. Joining RAND in 2009, Ambassador Ries’ research has focused on the economics of development, transatlantic relations, decision-making, disaster recovery, the Middle East, and Europe. Most recently, was a co-author of RAND studies: Pathways to a Durable Israeli-Palestinian Peace (2025) and Reconstructing Ukraine: Creating a Freer, More Prosperous, and Secure Future (2024). Over three decades in the U.S. diplomatic service, Ambassador Ries concentrated on economic affairs and Europe. He served as U.S. Ambassador to Greece (2004-2007), Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (2000–2004), and senior economic positions at the U.S. Embassy in London, and the U.S. Mission to the European Union. He is a member of the Academy of American Diplomacy.