In the final part of this two part series, Dr Walter Feichtinger talks to DET about Austria’s unchanged fondness for ‘neutrality’ despite the war in Ukraine and the U.S. shift in providing Europe a security umbrella, in addition to the need for reliable partners on energy security such as the Middle East.
Austria is now just one of three European Union members to be neutral, alongside Ireland and Malta.
Walter Feichtinger is Brigadier General at the Austrian Armed Forces and Director of the Institute for Peace Support and Conflict Management (IFK) at the National Defence Academy in Vienna. A political science PhD and former tank officer, he has advised the Austrian Federal Chancellery on security policy, served as Secretary General of the Austrian Officers’ Association, and lectures at several universities.
Feichtinger is a founding member of the International Society of Military Sciences, board member of the European Forum Alpbach, and a noted author and editor on security and conflict management. Since 2017, he hosts the video blog Feichtinger kompakt on security issues.
Austrian National Identity
(00:00) Dr Feichtinger: “Identity is a very important topic for Austria and the Austrians.
Yet it does not change in the foreseeable future because our identity is the same as it was before. We are not interested in war. We are interested in peace. We are interested in a role as a mediator and not as a war accelerator, so to speak. I do not see any difference in the future.”
European Security Amidst Russia and Ukraine
(00:30) Dr Feichtinger: “Austria is still highly interested in providing good services for the international community, for international peace and security. When we try to look into the future, what do we see in Europe and in Europe’s security?
There will be a developing new security architecture, I hope including Russia, but it’s not for sure for the next 10 years, so speak.
(00:58): What Austria has to do is to be safe and it is responsible for its own…own security and safety and it has to be seen in the European framework. What is expectable for Europe? We are not as long dependent on the United States because the United States will not deliver as long as much as it did before.”
Europe First: Security for Itself
Dr Feichtinger: “Europe has to take its own responsibility and your story is a part of it. So we cannot be a black hole in the whole European landscape. We are responsible for our defense and security.
(01:27): That has to be invested more in defense and security and that is on the way already, but we have to see it in the European framework. It is very important for Austria to be a reliable partner for everyone. So what does it mean? It does mean to be reliable within the European Union. It has to be in the Europe landscape and it has to be on the whole world.
(01:55): Therefore, Europe is very important framework for Austria. Austria is very important piece in Europe and we want to be a reliable partner in the future for everyone. And reliability requires also to be clear in what you are doing, what do you want to achieve, where do you see your own place in the world.”
Energy Security: Austria
Dr Feichtinger: “Security energy is a very important point, but it has to be seen in the framework of comprehensive security and it is much more than energy security.
(02:25): But it indicates that the security of Austria and Europe is bigger than only looking at Europe and looking only at defense and territorial integrity and security.”
The MENA as a Reliable Partner
Dr Feichtinger: “So what does it mean for Austria? Look for partners. Be reliable, as I mentioned already, and partners are everywhere. When we look at the MENA region, the MENA region was always a very important region for Austria.
(02:52): Austria was truly engaged from the very first moment in international peace operation, managed by the United Nations. I see an opportunity in the future also. But to have close cooperation, close contacts with partners in the region is really a very important thing for Austria.”
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