Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., has been named a senior transatlantic fellow for the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

“His expertise on international affairs and national security will be a tremendous asset to GMF’s work,” GMF President Craig Kennedy said in a statement.

The GMF is based in Washington and has offices in seven European cities. Its goal is to strengthen transatlantic cooperation.

The non-partisan, non-profit GMF also will establish the Richard G. Lugar Institute for Diplomacy. The institute’s goal is to improve communication and understanding between the Washington diplomatic corps and Congress.

Lugar is the top-ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and twice was chairman of the panel. Defeated in the Republican primary election, Lugar leaves the Senate this month after 36 years there.