Austerlitz meeting
Three presidents on historic ground
Europe is facing key security issues. To this end, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and his counterparts Petr Pavel (Czech Republic) and Peter Pellegrini (Slovakia) met at a historic location to discuss these issues in the so-called Austerlitz format.
Three presidents discussed where three emperors once fought. In Austerlitz, one of the bloodiest battles of the Napoleonic Wars 220 years ago between France, Austria and Russia, the Third Coalition Wars ended with Napoleon's victory. Federal President Van der Bellen met there with his Czech counterpart Pavel and Slovakian President Pellegrini: "It is gratifying that the name of this beautiful city has gone from being a keyword for a confrontation between European powers to a keyword for cooperation between Central European neighbors," said Van der Bellen.
The "Austerlitz format" between Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic was founded ten years ago to exchange views on urgent political issues on an irregular basis. This is the first time that this meeting has taken place at presidential level. And there is a lot to talk about. The Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, the threat to European security and the need for closer cooperation within the EU.
No more business as usual
"In recent days and weeks, we have witnessed a historic escalation," said the Federal President. "The global political situation is unstable," continued Van der Bellen. This forces us all to act. There had to be a new way of working together in Europe, there could be no "business as usual". The most urgent topic of discussion was the status quo in Ukraine and its support from Europe.
While Austria and the Czech Republic continue to stand firmly behind Ukraine, Slovakia has moved more into the pro-Russian camp. When asked about the three presidents' stance on Ukraine, Van der Bellen said: "Europe must say goodbye to the idea of being protected by the USA. We need cooperation between European countries and the military industries in order to create what helps us and what helps Ukraine." The Czech Republic's Pavel added that he believed Europe could compensate for US military aid for a while, "but not for long". Slovakian head of state Pellegrini wished for "more dynamism in Europe" in this kind of challenge as a result of the US maneuver.
The defeat of the Austro-Russian alliance against France 220 years ago fundamentally changed the balance of power in Europe. Today, the question arises again: how does Europe react to threats and power shifts? The three presidents face a similar challenge to the rulers of Europe back then: securing stability, strengthening alliances and responding to a geopolitical crisis. Even after 200 years, Austerlitz is a reminder of the far-reaching consequences of strategic decisions.
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