The Presidents of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, Slovakia, Peter Pellegrini, and Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen, met yesterday, 5 March, at Slavkov u Brna (Austerlitz) Castle to discuss cross-border cooperation, transport links between their countries, and the future of relations between Europe and the United States.
The central theme of the first presidential summit of the Slavkov Format (S3) was the evaluation of cross-border cooperation and strategies for its enhancement. Discussions on the current foreign policy landscape included the latest developments regarding the war in Ukraine, the future of transatlantic relations, and the potential enlargement of the European Union.
According to Austrian President Van der Bellen, war, geopolitical tensions, and security threats necessitate a prudent defence and foreign policy. The EU must remain united, strong, and self-assured, he emphasised. The global political situation is so unstable that it compels everyone to take action.
Slovak President Pellegrini stated that ensuring national security was the foremost priority for every country. The heads of state also acknowledged the need to strengthen European defence capabilities. However, this discussion had to take into account Europe’s role within NATO. Without stable and constructive relations with the United States, security could not be fully guaranteed.
Pellegrini stressed that Europe must find common solutions to the challenges it faces. It was not only about ending the war and achieving a lasting, sustainable peace in Ukraine. At the same time, he noted, intensive, open, and direct discussions were needed on the EU’s economic position and competitiveness.
Czech President Petr Pavel stated that the leaders also discussed coordinated emergency assistance through the integrated rescue system in crises, such as last year’s devastating floods, as well as investments in transport links between Prague, Bratislava, and Vienna.
Regarding US support for Ukraine, Pavel noted that all previous statements indicated it had not been withdrawn, only temporarily interrupted. While Europe could compensate for the loss of US aid to a certain extent and for a limited period, it could not do so indefinitely, given the scale of American support.
The final part of the summit focused on the significance of innovation for the competitiveness of national economies and the EU as a whole.
The Slavkov Format, also known as the Austerlitz Format, is a loose cooperation framework between the Central European states of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Austria. The name is derived from the South Moravian town of Austerlitz (Slavkov u Brna) near Brno. The town is particularly famous for the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805, also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors.
