The EU member states' defence and foreign affairs ministers will be in Vienna for their informal meetings on 29 and 30 August.
The defence ministers will kick the proceedings off with an informal dinner on Wednesday 29, and then on Thursday morning they will discuss progress on Defence Europe, especially permanent structured cooperation (PESCO).
The ongoing CSDP operations may also be addressed. The spokesperson for the European External Action Service, Maja Kocijancic, said on Tuesday 28 August that the strategic review of the EUNAVFORMed Operation Sophia was likely to be raised at the meeting, particularly the issue of the disembarkation of migrants rescued by mission boats.
The defence ministers will then hand over to the foreign ministers. Over lunch on Thursday, the foreign ministers will therefore discuss the latest developments in the Middle East. While their discussion was initially due to focus on the Middle East peace process, with the tension in the Gaza having worsened this summer, the discussion has now been broadened to the situation in the whole region. According to a European source, the ministers are therefore expected to discuss the Middle East but also the latest developments in Syria and Iran, what Iran's role is in the region, and maintaining the nuclear deal that the USA has now left while imposing new sanctions.
Transatlantic relations will be the subject of a discussion during the afternoon of Thursday 30. The euroatlantic axis has been in trouble since Donald Trump's arrival to power – be this in terms of diplomatic relations or trade relations.
In addition, on Friday morning, the foreign affairs ministers will be joined by their counterparts from the EU accession candidate countries (Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey) to discuss multilateralism. Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevult Cavusoglu has already confirmed his attendance. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)