VIenna peace and security talks 2022

The shifting grounds of European Security

The European Security Architecture is in a deep crisis. The unprovoked Russian attack on a sovereign state in Europe re-shaped the perceived Western-led international order. The conviction that large-scale wars between states in Europe belong to the past faded away.

NATO, which a couple of years ago was declared as obsolete (Trump) or brain-dead (Macron) is as attractive as never before. With Finland`s and Sweden`s future NATO accession only Austria, Malta, Cyprus and Ireland somehow manoeuvre between EU and NATO.

The revitalization of NATO made also clear – yet for another time – that the EU still depends on US capabilities and leadership. In this context, concepts like strategic autonomy already seem to be outdated. Additionally, the EU often lacks the will and means to pursue its own foreign and security policy and leaves decisions upon individual member states.

The era of realpolitik is here and the meaning and possibilities for multilateral action – for example, through the United Nations or the OSCE – need to be reassessed. Many non-Western global players, such as China and India, have refrained from taking an unambiguous stance on the Ukraine war so far. The outcome of this military conflict will largely determine their behaviour and the balance of power in a new world order.

The downward spiral in the European Security Architecture is also reflected in the crisis of the OSCE. As a matter of consequence of the spirit of confrontation between Russia and its allies and the Western states, the OSCE decision mechanisms are far too often paralysed. The OSCE member states are hardly able to find the necessary consensus even when it comes to decisions of minor importance. What is left from the vision of a common Security Architecture from Lisbon to Vladivostok?

This conference is intended to provide an insight into the interests and motivations of the actors central to pan-European security. An insight that creates the necessary conditions for the development of a serious critical dialogue. For its part, a critical dialogue at eye level is one of the basic prerequisites for the constructive solution processes of numerous regional and global conflicts and crises.

The conference was organized in cooperation with FES Regional Office for International Cooperation, Society for Eurasian Studies and Karl-Renner-Institut. 27 international experts discussed in three workshops, under Chatham-House Rules, the issues listed above. The event “Militarization for Peace” was open to the public - see the video below!

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