Security policy talks between Switzerland and Austria
Bern, 10.12.2025 — Talks are taking place on 11 December in Vienna between the Swiss and Austrian defence ministries. The purpose of this dialogue is to strengthen bilateral cooperation on security policy. The discussions will focus on current developments in Europe and transatlantic relations.
As a neighbouring country, Austria is one of Switzerland's most important partners, also in terms of security policy. For this reason, the defence ministries of both countries have held regular talks for several years. This year's dialogue will be led by Ambassador Pälvi Pulli, Deputy State Secretary and head of the Strategy and Cooperation Division at the State Secretariat for Security Policy (SEPOS). The Austrian delegation will be led by Dr Arnold Kammel, Secretary-General of the Federal Ministry of Defence and head of Section I of the Directorate-General for Defence Policy.
Strengthening bilateral cooperation with Austria
The security policy talks will focus on bilateral cooperation and multilateral bodies such as the EU, NATO, the UN and the OSCE. For example, both countries are members of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), a project initiated by Germany to strengthen Europe's air defence capabilities. Discussions will also cover security policy strategies and their implementation, in particular measures to enhance defence capabilities. Other topics will include combating influence activities, the increasing militarisation of space through new technologies, and military peacebuilding.