U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo Visits Austria

From August 13 to 15, 2020, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo paid a bilateral working visit to Austria. It was the first bilateral visit by a U.S. Secretary of State in more than 20 years and thus an important expression of the excellent state of the bilateral relations between Austria and the United States.

During his three-day visit to Vienna, Secretary Pompeo held bilateral talks, among others, with Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, as well as Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.

Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen receives U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at Vienna’s Hofburg. on August 14, 2020. [Photo: Carina Karlovits und Daniel Trippolt/HBF]

Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen receives U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at Vienna’s Hofburg. on August 14, 2020. [Photo: Carina Karlovits und Daniel Trippolt/HBF]

The U.S. Secretary of State also participated in a business roundtable with Austrian Finance Minister Gernot Blümel, and representatives of export-focused Austrian companies.

Furthermore, Secretary Pompeo laid a wreath at Vienna’s Judenplatz Holocaust Memorial, the central memorial for the Austrian victims of the Holocaust, in the presence of the leaders of the Austrian faith communities.

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo participates in wreath laying ceremony at the Holocaust Memorial with Austrian Leaders of Faith Communities, in Vienna, Austria, on August 14, 2020.[State Department photo by Ron Przysucha/ Public Domain]

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo participates in wreath laying ceremony at the Holocaust Memorial with Austrian Leaders of Faith Communities, in Vienna, Austria, on August 14, 2020.

[State Department photo by Ron Przysucha/ Public Domain]


Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg received his U.S. counterpart Mike Pompeo in the historic rooms of Belvedere Palace, where the Austrian State Treaty was signed 65 years ago.

In addition to deepening the strategic partnership with the U.S., Austria's most important economic partner outside Europe, the talks between the two Foreign Ministers focused on current international developments such as the situation in Belarus, Libya and the Eastern Mediterranean.

“The United States is and remains an indispensable partner for us. We share a common system of values based on democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

said Foreign Minister Schallenberg, underlining the excellent bilateral relations.

“Austria is our trusted partner and friend. As a close partner of the USA, the country is a true source of democratic ideas in the heart of Europe.”

said U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

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The Foreign Ministers emphasized the many similarities that bind the two states together at the economic, political and cultural level, and reaffirmed their commitment to addressing global challenges not only bilaterally but also in multilateral forums such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) , the United Nations or the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo emphasized Austria's important role as a mediator in international agreements:

“We thank Austria for her great support as host of the disarmament talks between us and Russia.”


“I can assure you that Austria will continue to support such initiatives in the future and will always be ready to act as a hub of international diplomacy.”

added the Austrian Foreign Minister.

Existing differences were also openly addressed, such as the Nord Stream 2 project and the U.S. position towards Iran. In addition, the colleagues exchanged views on current political challenges and talked about the situation in Belarus, Libya and the eastern Mediterranean region.

In order to give special expression to the intensive bilateral relations and further deepen the strategic partnership between Austria and the USA, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the establishment of a civil society dialogue.

Joint Declaration by Austria and the United States