On March 6, 2018, the second U.S.-Austrian Political-Military Talks were held in Washington, DC. The Austrian delegation was led by Major General Robert Brieger, Chief of Staff of the Ministry for Defense. The visit aimed at consolidating cooperation between the Armed Forces of both countries and at exploring new avenues for defense cooperation in the Western Balkans. Both sides considered the relations to be excellent and agreed to further strengthen them.

One week later, on March 12, 2018, the annual bilateral political consultations took place in Washington, DC. The Austrian delegation was led by the Political Director General of the Austrian Ministry for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Axel Marschik, who met U.S. Officials led by Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Ambassador Elisabeth Millard. Top diplomats of the Austrian Embassy in D.C. and the U.S. Embassy in Vienna framed the very friendly talks which dwelled on a wide range of issues including developments in the Western Balkans, the geopolitical roles of Russia and China as well as the current crises in North Korea, Syria, Ukraine, and Libya. Other issues that were addressed include disarmament and non-proliferation, including the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the proposed U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum, European energy security, and Iran.

The following day, Ambassador Marschik held separate talks with staffers at the NSC, the VP’s Office, and the State Department; on Capitol Hill, he also met with Members of Congress and staffers, including from the Helsinki Commission.

The next round of bilateral political talks is set to take place in Vienna in 2019.