U.S. Embassy and Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation Explore the Future of Transatlantic Relations
The Amerika Haus in Vienna was the venue for a major panel discussion on "An Uncertain Future: The State of Transatlantic Relations in a World on Fire", organized by the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation in cooperation with the U.S. Embassy in Austria.
Moderator Monika Rosen leads the panel discussion about transatlantic relations at Amerika Haus Wien, where experts discuss the state and prospects of transatlantic relations in an uncertain global landscape. / Picture: © U.S. Embassy Vienna / Flickr Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Over 120 guests attended the event, chaired by Monika Rosen, Vice President of the Austro-American Society Vienna, which addressed the challenges and opportunities of transatlantic relations in the current global political landscape.
Speakers included Anthony Silberfeld, Director of Transatlantic Relations at the Bertelsmann Foundation, former Ambassador Eva Nowotny, Vice President of the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation, and Thomas Eder, researcher at the Austrian Institute for International Affairs. The discussion was characterized by in-depth analyses of the current and future state of relations between Europe and the US, particularly about the upcoming elections in the US, the EU, and Austria.
Transatlantic Periscope and Austria
At the center of the debate was the Transatlantic Periscope, an initiative of the Bertelsmann Stiftung that acts as an interactive platform and uses expert analysis and artificial intelligence to shed light on bilateral relations between the United States and EU member states as well as the UK. The launch of the Austria module on this platform was an important milestone in exploring and understanding the specific aspects of Austrian-American relations.
The participants discussed the importance of the transatlantic partnership, which is based on shared values such as democracy, individual freedom, and the rule of law. They emphasized that these values allow the transatlantic community to work together and adapt despite differing political views and challenges.
The event also provided a historical review of the development of transatlantic relations since the Second World War. Experts discussed how the relationship between the U.S. and Europe has been shaped by shared experiences and challenges, including the post-war reconstruction of Europe, the creation of NATO, and the joint confrontation with the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Despite recent tensions, such as the Trump administration and its "America First" policies, and the challenges posed by Russia's war in Ukraine, the panelists emphasized that the transatlantic partnership remains central. They pointed out that the election of the US President in 2024 could be another test for the relationship, but also emphasized that the fundamental values and goals will continue to strengthen the transatlantic relationship in the future.
In conclusion, it was emphasized that transatlantic cooperation remains essential to jointly respond to global challenges such as China's rise, climate change, and technological developments. The event at Amerika Haus was thus an impressive demonstration of the continued commitment and optimism about the future of transatlantic relations.
Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation
Austrian Institute for International Affairs