Austrian Chancellor reaffirms support for Ukraine

Austria will continue to provide full support to Ukraine within the framework of its neutral status.

That’s according to Federal Chancellor of Austria, Karl Nehammer, who spoke at a joint press conference with Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas in Vienna on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Our meeting’s agenda today included various threats we face as the EU and what they mean for us. From the Austrian point of view, it is clear that we unequivocally condemn Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, that we stand in full solidarity with the European Union, and that we use our neutrality constructively in the literal sense of the word, to demonstrate together that war and seizure of land by armies should never again serve as a political tool. And that is why we offer Ukraine our full support," Nehammer emphasized.

He pointed out that Austria was "in full solidarity in all our efforts when it came to the introduction of sanctions against the Russian Federation and support to Ukraine."

According to the chancellor, at the national level, Austria focuses on providing Ukraine humanitarian aid, and at the EU level, it contributes to the fact that support to Ukraine, "including in the field of military armaments," remained possible. At the same time, he added that the money allocated by Austria does not go for procuring lethal aid for Ukraine, but is invested in protective equipment.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, right-wing populist and pro-Russian Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ), which may win the largest number of votes in parliamentary elections this fall, sharply criticized the EUR 50 billion Ukraine Facility, approved by the EU, labeling the Ukrainian government “the Zelensky regime”.

Photo: EPA-EFE