S3 Presidents to Meet in Bratislava to Discuss Security, Energy, and AI

Bratislava, 7 May (TASR) - The presidents of Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Austria will address current issues in foreign policy, regional energy security, and the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in education at the Austerlitz Format (S3) summit, which is due to take place in Bratislava on Tuesday (12 May), TASR was told by the President's Office on Thursday. "The current geopolitical situation and the challenges facing the international community necessitate a coordinated approach. Slovak President Peter Pellegrini, Czech head of state Petr Pavel, and their Austrian counterpart Alexander Van der Bellen recognise that mutual cooperation among Central European countries is an important signal of their readiness to respond dynamically to emerging foreign policy situations," stated the office. The office noted that energy security in Central European countries has become one of the most significant political and economic challenges since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, as well as due to the ongoing instability in the Middle East. The presidents will discuss increasing the region's resilience to crisis situations, opportunities to strengthen cross-border cooperation, and infrastructure development. "For Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Austria, it is essential to deepen cooperation so that the countries can effectively respond to extraordinary circumstances," it added. The heads of state will also discuss how to prepare education systems for the rapid rise of generative AI, promote digital skills, and address the risks associated with the online environment. The discussion will address the impact of social media on young people, the spread of harmful and extremist content, and the need to create a safe digital environment for children and youth. The Bratislava summit is the second meeting of heads of state at the presidential level since the format was set up, with the first taking place in March 2025 on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Austerlitz Declaration at the castle in Slavkov u Brna (called Austerlitz in German). am/mcs