Austria: We are militarily, but not politically neutral

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Salenberg again ruled out the possibility of his country joining NATO, but said that military neutrality did not imply political neutrality.

“We will remain neutral,” Salenberg told Deutschlandfunk, noting that Austria could not even discuss NATO membership, even after requests from Sweden and Finland. The two countries, the Austrian minister said, were making huge changes in their security policy with great speed, while he pointed out that other EU countries, Malta and Ireland, remain outside the Alliance.

However, the rejection of a partnership with NATO does not mean that Austria is isolated from international politics or that it does not show solidarity, Mr. Salenberg stressed and reminded that since its accession to the EU, the country has supported all measures of common foreign policy. political and security policy.

“We have always known where we are,” he said, when asked if Austria would risk being left alone in the event of an escalation of the military conflict in Ukraine. to see this as positive. “Military neutrality does not mean political neutrality either. Austria is clearly on Ukraine’s side,” he said, describing the war as a “rupture with civilization.” His country, he said, supports Ukraine, not with military, but with humanitarian material and will continue to do so.

Source: AMPE

Source: Capital

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