Austria stands by the Ukrainian people. Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) emphasized this in a statement from the Federal Chancellery on Saturday. In addition, the Russian attacks “on the territorial sovereignty of Ukraine” are condemned, according to Nehammer. At the same time, the Chancellor once again emphasized Austria’s neutrality. “Austria is and will remain a militarily neutral country.” Meanwhile, according to the Red Cross, the situation in Ukraine is getting worse.
“With every hour that the fighting continues, the humanitarian situation for the people in Ukraine continues to deteriorate,” said Red Cross Secretary General Michael Opriesnig in a broadcast. In some towns and cities there is panic, many people have fled and are housed in emergency shelters. There has been a severe water shortage in Donetsk for days. The water supply has been partially cut off by the fighting, several pumping stations and pipelines have been destroyed, and more than a million people have been affected. Despite the fighting, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Ukrainian Red Cross are providing emergency aid with more than 3,000 volunteers and employees across the country.
Austria also supports Ukraine directly on site. Specifically, the Ministry of the Interior brings medical supplies to the war-torn country. Nehammer emphasized that Austria would continue to advocate a path of dialogue in coordination with “our European partners”. “However, if a partner holds weapons in both hands, he cannot extend them for dialogue. Austria therefore naturally supports the EU’s sanctions against Russia.”
“With the present sanctions package, the European Union has also demonstrated its greatest strength in one of its greatest crises: unity. The measures are tough, precise and effective. But our options are far from exhausted. Council President Charles Michel has already announced that on another package of sanctions is being worked on,” postulated Nehammer.
On Friday, the ambassadors of the USA, Canada, Norway, Switzerland and Great Britain debriefed on the deliberations at the special session of the European Council on Thursday. In terms of content, the main focus was on the EU sanctions measures that are now to be decided and support services for Ukraine, with whose government Austria is in constant contact.
In the latest issue of the news magazine “profil,” ex-Federal President Heinz Fischer was unusually open about Russian President Vladimir Putin. He met him eight times. Putin always seemed “very rational” to him. Fischer never felt deceived or betrayed. “I think Putin has changed,” Fischer told the magazine. In addition to all the strategic considerations, he notes a “change of personality” in Putin. “He told an untruth in cold blood.”
Fischer considers Putin’s war speech to be “very revealing and dangerous”. You can’t say that Putin wants to emulate Stalin, “but he learned a lot from Stalin.” “Whether the security situation in Europe would be better if we had exercised restraint in the eastward expansion of NATO? – that is a question worth discussing,” said Fischer.
(SERVICE – The Red Cross asks for donations under the password: “Ukraine – Help for people in conflict” – IBAN: AT57 2011 1400 1440 0144)