Just four months after taking office, Austrian Federal Chancellor Karl Stocker made his first official state visit abroad — traveling to Berlin to meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. At their joint press conference, Stocker praised the “excellent friendship” between Austria and Germany and said he had found in Merz “a partner who sees things similarly,” especially regarding asylum and migration policies.
“Germany and Austria are moving in the same direction,” Stocker said, referring to a recent meeting of “like-minded states” that Merz attended ahead of the upcoming EU summit in Brussels. “This shows we are also on the right track at the European level,” he added.
Stocker voiced support for Germany’s recent migration measures, including turning back asylum seekers at the German-Austrian border. When asked whether these steps might affect relations between the two neighbors, both leaders rejected that notion. “Austria knows well what migration pressure feels like — we experienced it in 2015 and again in 2022,” Stocker explained. He noted that Austria has been guarding its borders since 2015, not as a form of isolation but as a necessary response to migration flows. He also described the current situation at the German-Austrian border as stable and under control. 
The Austrian chancellor also highlighted ongoing cooperation between Austria and Germany, especially at the ministerial level and among law enforcement agencies.
The talks extended beyond migration, touching on major global issues such as the situation in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine. Economic matters were also high on the agenda. Stocker defended Austria’s commitment to austerity and warned of the looming risk of a new financial crisis. “We don’t know when the next crisis will come, but we must be prepared,” he said, calling it one of the many challenges best addressed through cooperation.
Chancellor Stocker received full military honors upon his arrival in Berlin. The visit included a one-on-one meeting with Merz and a press conference. Although this was Stocker’s first official foreign visit, the two leaders have already met several times — most recently at the EU summit in Brussels the day before.
Reported by the official media outlet of the Berlin press conference — Berliner Telegraph.
Special report from Munich by Anna Stukkert and Aleksandr Boyko.
