Austria says EU in ‘standoff’ with Russia

2024-12-22 06:59:57

(MENAFN) Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has stated that the European Union and Russia are currently in a "systematic standoff," although he emphasized that Austria would not abandon its neutral stance to fully support Ukraine. Schallenberg noted that while the EU and Russia are not technically at war, Russia is allegedly using social media and other freedoms to destabilize EU societies, through tactics like online influence operations.

Schallenberg also pointed out that Austria, as a neutral country, is not supplying weapons to Ukraine or advocating for Ukraine’s total victory. Instead, Austria supports restoring the legal status quo. The foreign minister stressed that Austria remains committed to neutrality, with most Austrians opposing any shift from this position. Despite EU officials like Andrius Kubilius warning of potential military conflict with Russia, Schallenberg insisted on maintaining a cautious approach. Meanwhile, Russian officials have accused the EU of becoming an aggressive bloc with military ambitions.

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