Moscow has previously accused the EU country of changing its foreign policy amid the Ukraine conflict
Austria should be ready to discuss its potential membership in NATO, Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger has said. She acknowledged, however, that joining is unlikely to gain major public or parliamentary support at this stage.
In an interview with Die Welt published on Saturday, Meinl-Reisinger spoke about what she described as “an increasingly aggressive Russia,” which she claims is reluctant to conclude a peace deal with Ukraine.
Moscow has maintained it is open to dialogue, but insisted that any settlement must take into account its key security concerns, including that Kiev agree to permanently stay out of NATO.
According to Meinl-Reisinger, “neutrality alone does not protect us.” She explained that Austria should invest not only in “defense capabilities,” but also in military partnerships.
“I am fundamentally very open to a public debate” about Austria’s future in this field, she said, adding: “While there is currently no majority in parliament or among the population for NATO membership, such a debate can nevertheless be very fruitful.”
The minister acknowledged that “it’s not that I wanted to join NATO with flying colors,” but said that the country could not just sit on its hands and watch a changing geopolitical landscape.
A member of the EU since 1995, Vienna is constitutionally banned from joining any military blocs or hosting foreign troops and bases under the 1955 Austrian State Treaty. The country, which was part of Nazi Germany in World War II, agreed to the terms in exchange for regaining full sovereignty.
After the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Austria joined the Western sanctions against Russia, with Moscow designating it a “hostile state.”
Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Austria of abandoning its neutrality and the role of an intermediary in international conflicts following reports that Vienna is allowing continuous transit of weapons through its territory.
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