Vienna – ESI at Austrian Foreign Ministry’s Strategy Circle

Austrian Foreign Ministry. Photo: flickr/Robert Lender

ESI’s Kristof Bender was invited to the first “Strategy Circle” of the Strategy and Planning Unit of the Austrian Ministry for European and International Affairs. The event, held under Chatham House rules, took place on 30 June 2026 at the premises of the ministry. The “Strategy Circle” is intended as an exchange between ministry officials and think tankers on current topics and pressing policy questions. 

• ESI proposal: “End the turtle race How the EU can address the crisis of the accession process”
• ESI proposal: “Offer the four freedoms to the Balkans, Ukraine, and Moldova For a merit-based EU accession process with a credible goal”
• ESI proposal: Safe Third Country Agreements