Austria Strengthens Security Partnerships with the United Kingdom and Germany
Austria has deepened its bilateral relations with the United Kingdom and Germany in a series of important security policy consultations. The high-level talks focused on current security policy challenges, strategic interests, and strengthening defense cooperation in a changing global environment.
Austria is committed to maintaining its international security partnerships and contributing to broader European efforts to jointly address present and future complex challenges. / Picture: © Bundesheer/Harald MINICH
Security policy consultations between Austria and the United Kingdom took place at the British Ministry of Defense in London. The Austrian delegation was led by Secretary General Dr. Arnold Kammel, while Sebastian Carr, Deputy Head of the Department for European-Atlantic Security Policy, led the British side. Experts from the fields of strategy, the Western Balkans, and the British “NATO-EU-OSCE Desk” complemented the British delegation.
Key topics of discussion included the current security situation, regional security, cooperation between the EU and NATO—including the EU Preparedness Union Strategy and the UK-EU Agreement—as well as bilateral defense cooperation. The EU's Preparedness Union Strategy aims to strengthen Europe's civil and military preparedness, improve crisis response coordination, and invest in the European defense industry. This includes measures to protect societal functions and promote population preparedness.
Accompanying the official talks was a meeting with the head of the IISS, the deputy ambassador, and the head of the Europe Program at Chatham House. The visit concluded with a briefing on the current situation in Ukraine, conducted by the British Ministry of Defense at the Austrian Embassy in London. The aforementioned UK-EU agreement, described as a “new basis of trust,” allows London to participate in joint procurement measures for defense equipment and closer cooperation in supporting Ukraine. The next consultation talks between Austria and the United Kingdom are scheduled for September 2026 in Vienna.
French-British initiative for Ukraine and “Entente Industrielle”
Parallel to these bilateral talks, other European partners are intensifying their cooperation to ensure the security of the continent. As Politico reported, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron announced the completion of plans for a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine of “up to 50,000 soldiers.” This initiative by the “coalition of the willing,” which includes 30 European states, envisages rapid deployment after a ceasefire and plans to establish its own headquarters in Paris and a coordination center in Kyiv. France and the UK want to expand an existing joint task force for this purpose and invite other partner countries to participate.
Germany remains firmly opposed to such a mission. There are many reasons for Germany's stance: Berlin argues that as long as there is no ceasefire or concrete peace plan, any discussion of peacekeeping forces is misplaced; it does not want to make decisions “over the heads of the Ukrainians.” In addition, Germany fears that European countries acting alone without the participation of the entire NATO alliance could divide the alliance and increase the risk of confrontation with Russia. NATO must act in unison. Another point is the lack of impartiality: Since Russia does not consider the EU to be impartial, a European peacekeeping force would probably not receive the necessary approval of all parties to the conflict, which would call its effectiveness into question. Instead of sending its troops, Germany is focusing on making Ukraine militarily strong enough to defend itself and remains an important arms supplier and supporter of Kyiv.
These plans are part of a broader realignment of Franco-British defense relations, known as the “entente industrielle.” It includes the coordination of nuclear deterrence, the updating of the 2010 Lancaster House agreements, and the joint development of a new cruise missile and advanced anti-drone weapons. Macron emphasized the goal of a “new special relationship” between the two countries, also given a perceived isolationist tendency in the US.
Successful consultations with Germany in Berlin
Regardless of these specific initiatives, Austria is continuing its proven partnerships. A month earlier, the Secretary General and Director of Defense Policy at the Federal Ministry of Defense (BMLV), MMag. Dr. Arnold Kammel, accompanied by Major General Ronald Vartok, Deputy Director of Defense Policy, traveled to Berlin for the annual bilateral security policy consultations. There they met with the Political Director at the Federal Ministry of Defense (BMVg), Ministerial Director Dr. Jasper Wieck, and the Head of the Cyber and Information Technology Department, Lieutenant General Michael Vetter.
Interestingly, although Germany cooperates closely with Austria in many areas, it has so far refused to participate in this specific French-British peacekeeping force in Ukraine. This shows the different approaches within Europe to the design of concrete security initiatives.
The talks focused on current government programs and the security and defense policy positioning of both countries. They also discussed the analysis of the security situation, cooperation within the European Union, and bilateral cooperation in the further development of