Despite political commitment

Austria cannot remain neutral if attacked

Austria cannot remain neutral if Europe is attacked by Russia, says expert Guntram Wolff.

(Bild: Bundesheer/Rainer Zisser)

The future government consisting of the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS has reaffirmed its commitment to Austrian neutrality in its government program. However, one expert now says that Austria would not be able to remain neutral if Russia attacked Europe.

"At some point you have to realize that of course Austria can't really be neutral or impartial either," says economist Guntram Wolff. With a view to the current war in Ukraine, he explains: "If Russia is successful with its aggression, then that affects us too." If Russia were to conquer Ukraine, for example, Austria would also be affected. 

Ukraine plays an important role for European security
Russia has not yet succeeded in overrunning Ukraine. As a result, Ukraine is tying up large numbers of Russian troops. Ukraine therefore fulfills an important function for European security as a whole, explains Wolff. In the event of a ceasefire, Ukraine must not disarm under any circumstances, says Wolff, otherwise the risk of Russia's President Vladimir Putin invading again soon would be too great.

Expert: Europe must not rely on the USA
Wolff also points out that Europe is currently in a relatively weak position, even when it comes to conventional armaments such as tanks and artillery. Looking towards the USA, he warns that the current policy of US President Donald Trump means that Europe is currently facing the challenge of thinking about a future defense that can manage without US support.

However, the expert sees great potential in the European defense industry: "It is by no means the case that the USA has large military production capacities. On the contrary, the USA is rather weaker than Europe in the industrial sector." 

In terms of the digital sector, however, Europe is in a weak position and "great efforts" are needed here, explains Wolff.