Sebastian Schäffer: Austria is a bridge builder in Southeastern Europe

Cross-border Talks' discussion with Sebastian Schäffer of the Vienna-based Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe dealt with the changes, which war in Ukraine has already brought to the EU and to its Eastern part. We discussed: - how is the Poland-Ukraine and Russia-Turkey alignment seen from the position of somebody in the German-speaking world; - what is the role, which Bulgaria and Romania could play in the new security arrangement in Southeastern Europe; is their position out of Schengen a sign of certain unclarity regarding their geopolitical position; - what role could the Danube Strategy play for the intensification of the Bulgarian-Romanian relations; - how should the Turkish ascension as a mediator between "the West" and "the East" should be seen and what does it mean for the countries of Southeastern Europe; - what are the result of German chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit to China; - what is path forward for the EU in a world in which Russia is no longer a key economic partner and inderdependence with China might not be advisable; - what has been changing with regard to Austria's role in Southeastern Europe after the start of the war in Ukraine.