29th European Forum Vienna: Europe's New Responsibility
RECAP
Nov 07, 2025 / Vienna / EU Affairs / European Security and Defence
29th European Forum
From 7 to 8 November 2025, the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy (AIES) hosted the 29th European Forum at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna (DA). In cooperation with the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies and the think tank Campus Tivoli (formerly the Political Academy), this year’s forum, held under the motto “Europe’s New Responsibility,” brought together international experts to discuss Europe’s role in a time of growing security threats and a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape.
The discussions addressed pressing issues such as the ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict, the development of an independent pan-European security architecture, and perspectives from different European regions.
The 29th European Forum attracted over 350 participants and many additional online viewers via live stream. Once again, the event offered a unique opportunity for in-depth debates, valuable insights, and meaningful exchanges with an engaged audience.
Opening Remarks and Keynotes – 6 November
The first day of the conference was opened by AIES Director Michael Zinkanell, who warmly welcomed the guests of the 29th European Forum and introduced the programme. He acknowledged the forum’s key partners and outlined the overarching themes that would guide the discussions on European security.
Following his remarks, Dr Werner Fasslabend, President of the AIES and former Austrian Minister of Defence, introduced the keynote speaker of the evening. In his brief introductory comments, he highlighted the speaker’s expertise and emphasised the importance of sound security analysis in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The evening continued with the keynote lecture “War in Europe – Status Quo and Future Perspectives” delivered by Markus Reisner, Austrian historian and military expert. Reisner provided a comprehensive overview of the current situation along the Ukrainian front, focusing particularly on tactical developments and hybrid threats that Europe increasingly faces. His presentation offered a precise and thought-provoking assessment of the security realities in Eastern Europe and laid the analytical foundation for the discussions to follow.
Keynote Highlights – 7 November 2025
The second day began with welcoming remarks by Ambassador Martin Eichtinger, Director of the Vienna School of International Studies (Diplomatic Academy of Vienna), who greeted the participants on behalf of the host institution. In his address, he reflected on Austria’s EU accession in 1995, recalling the challenges of the time that ultimately led to a successful referendum. Eichtinger underscored the importance of EU membership for Austria and stressed that Europe must continue to uphold and promote democratic values.
Following his address, Dr Werner Fasslabend, President of the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy (AIES) and former Austrian Minister of Defence, officially opened the second day of the European Forum. He underlined the complexity of the current security environment and the need for strategic foresight and flexibility in addressing Europe’s diverse security challenges.
The discussion continued on the topic of European Defence, Challenges and Programmes. Arnold Kammel, Secretary General at the Austrian Ministry of Defence, emphasized the profound shift in Europe’s security landscape since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He noted that while strategic frameworks and initiatives now exist, the decisive challenge lies in the practical implementation of a unified European defence capability and an integrated industrial base.
Mikuláš Dzurinda, former Prime Minister of Slovakia and President of the Wilfried Martens Centre, warned that Russia’s war against Ukraine has evolved into a broader hybrid challenge to Europe. He argued that the EU must move beyond strategic declarations to concrete implementation, through joint defence procurement, strengthened industrial capacity, and the gradual establishment of a common European defence framework.
Keynote Speeches - 7 November
Wolfgang Schüssel, former Chancellor of Austria, stated that Europe’s “new responsibilities” are in fact long-standing obligations to safeguard peace, stability, and prosperity. However, he urged a renewed mindset: strengthening the economic base, countering hybrid attacks and disinformation, supporting Ukraine as part of Europe’s own security, and fostering political leadership capable of speaking honestly to citizens about the challenges ahead.
Viktor Yushchenko (President of Ukraine, 2005–2010) framed security as a nation’s foremost duty and underscored that the war is Russian aggression, not a “conflict.” He condemned Europe’s past “Putinization” (energy dependence and weak defences), describing Russia as economically weak yet dangerous. He called for a united European response to cut Kremlin oil revenues, expedite coordinated arms deliveries, especially air defence and long-range missiles, and channel frozen Russian assets toward Ukraine’s recovery. Presenting Ukraine as “Europe’s shield,” he rejected territorial concessions (invoking Munich), demanded the full de-occupation of Crimea and Donbas, and declared that only a decisive Russian defeat can secure a just and lasting peace.
Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Austrian Minister of European and International Affairs, in a brief video message, urged Europe to “take security into its own hands”: to speak with one voice, build a genuine European Defence Union, support a just, comprehensive, and sustainable peace for Ukraine with firm security guarantees, accelerate EU enlargement (including the Western Balkans and Moldova) through gradual integration, and deepen global partnerships, especially with Africa, to safeguard Europe’s stability and prosperity.
Panels and discussion – 7 November
The panel on the second day, entitled Views from Different European Regions, was opened by Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner (2004–2010) and Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs (2000–2004), stressed that amid global upheavals, from U.S.–China rivalry to Russia’s war on Ukraine, the EU remains more a “global payer” than a player. She called for genuine strategic autonomy: faster, qualified-majority decisions, real implementation of common security and defence policies, strengthened industry and innovation, less bureaucracy, more free-trade agreements, and the courage to act in Europe’s own interest.
Richard Bruton, Minister in several Irish governments (1986–2020), argued that traditional neutrality no longer fits the hybrid-war era. Neutral states, he said, must fully engage in EU security, invest in shared capabilities, and enhance non-military resilience across energy, health, and democratic institutions. He urged greater citizen engagement to counter disinformation, cautioned against rushing treaty changes before fully utilizing existing EU tools, and called for renewed commitment to multilateralism and EU soft power.
Volodymyr Ohryzko, former Ukrainian Foreign Minister and ex-Ambassador to Austria, urged Europe to “speak with one voice” and show political courage: accelerate the delivery of long-range weapons, unlock frozen Russian assets, and abandon illusions about neutrality or a rapid democratic transition in Russia. He advocated building a truly pan-European deterrent (even considering a nuclear component) and a strategic posture that recognizes Ukraine as integral to Europe’s security.
Theodossios Georgiou, president of the Atlantic Treaty Association, highlighted the central importance of public legitimacy and societal engagement in sustaining European and transatlantic security. He recalled that the ATA was founded to connect NATO with citizens, bringing together parliamentarians, academics, diplomats, military representatives, and youth to build democratic support for collective defence. In light of Russia’s war against Ukraine and shifting global power dynamics, Georgiou stressed the need to maintain strong transatlantic ties, foster dialogue, and pass on the values of cooperation and shared responsibility to younger generations, since without citizens’ support, security policies cannot endure.
Panels and discussion – 7 November
The final panel, entitled Europe’s New Security Architecture, brought together leading experts from Germany, France, Italy, and NATO to assess Europe’s capacity for self-defence and its strategic future amid growing geopolitical instability.
Stefan Mair, Director of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, traced Germany’s evolving view of European security from Cold War containment and Ostpolitik to the post-2022 Zeitenwende. He admitted that Germany’s earlier hopes of transforming Russia through trade had failed, and that Europe remains unable to defend itself without U.S. support. Mair proposed strengthening NATO’s “European pillar” as the backbone of any future architecture and warned that Europe must prepare for a possible U.S. retrenchment, define genuine security guarantees for Ukraine, and broaden its outlook beyond Russia to include the Mediterranean, Arctic, and neutral states.
Guillaume Lasconjarias, Director, Studies and Research at Institute for Higher National Defense Studies (IHEDN), in Paris, declared that Europe’s current security architecture is “a dead horse in the water.” He identified three realities driving change: the erosion of U.S. commitment (and the risk of “Trump 2”), the transforming lessons of the war in Ukraine, and internal European fragility under disinformation and extremism. Presenting France’s Strategic Review 2025, he outlined three pillars: (1) reinforcing defence and deterrence, including a potential broader role for France’s nuclear forces; (2) investing in Europe’s defence industrial and technological base to ensure wartime readiness and economic sovereignty; and (3) building a new political-diplomatic framework through the European Political Community to anchor states like Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia within a wider, non-EU, non-NATO security forum. True autonomy, he concluded, means being able “to act as Europeans” even if America steps back.
Federico Fabbrini, Full Professor of EU Law at Dublin City University and Founding Director of the Dublin European Law Institute, argued that Europe faces an unprecedented dual crisis. While the EU has achieved remarkable progress since 2022, creating a Strategic Compass, military missions, a common debt for Ukraine aid, and energy independence, its constitutional design blocks deeper action. Unanimity, fiscal limits, and the lack of EU-owned military forces, he said, “paralyze” foreign policy. Fabbrini urged a return to Europe’s original ambition: the unratified 1952 European Defence Community (EDC). Reviving that treaty could finally establish a common European army integrated into NATO as its European pillar. “We once thought a single currency or open borders were impossible,” he concluded. “Now it is time to make a European army possible.”
Barbora Maronkova, Head of NATO Liaison Office to OSCE and other IOs, underscored that any discussion of Europe’s security must include NATO, which is still the core guarantor of stability for its 32 members, most of whom are EU states. She highlighted NATO’s unmatched interoperability, command structure, and collective deterrence, but welcomed Europe’s turning point toward greater defence responsibility. She insisted that EU efforts must complement, not duplicate, NATO’s. Given shared budgets, “the same pot of money,” both institutions must synchronize defence spending, industrial production, and procurement reform. Maronkova described deepening EU–NATO cooperation from shared briefings to coordinated projects on mobility, resilience, and cyber defence, and emphasized joint support for Ukraine. Finally, she noted NATO’s engagement with other organizations, including the UN and the OSCE.
Together, the speakers converged on one message: Europe stands at a strategic crossroads. To secure its future, it must move from dependency to capacity, combining NATO’s deterrence, the EU’s resources, and renewed political courage to build a truly autonomous and credible European security architecture.
In case you missed the 29th European Forum 2025, you watch all programme parts below as well as on our Youtube channel.
The event was organized by AIES with the support of their its cooperation partners, which include the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, the Diplomatic Academy Vienna, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defence, the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, the European Security and Defence College, Land Niederösterreich and the Think-Tank Campus Tivoli.
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