Austrian Defense Minister Says Country is Not Sending Weapons to Ukraine Nor is it Training Troops
Jose Nino
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On May 23, 2023, Austrian Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner announced that Austria is not supplying arms to Ukraine or training Ukrainian forces.
“We aren’t supplying weapons [to Ukraine], nor are we training [their troops] to use weapons,” the minister noted at a European Union defense ministers’ meeting.
She did point out, however, that the Austrian government was taking significant steps towards supporting Ukraine. Specifically, Austria has backed the EU’s sanctions on Russia and has provided copious financial assistance to Ukraine. Since Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, nations of the Collective West have sent copious amounts of economic and military aid to Ukraine in an effort to drag Russia into a prolonged proxy war against the West.
In 1955, the Austrian Parliament passed a constitutional act of parliament that established neutrality as the main pillar of Austrian foreign policy, especially on military affairs. However, there are limits to this foreign policy as evidenced by the fact that Austria is surrounded by NATO and European Union nations. As a result, it may have to concede on issues of sending economic aid to Ukraine.
Nevertheless, Austria’s positions on the Russo-Ukrainian conflict are far more reasonable than the average EU nation’s positions.
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