Similar to Germany, the strict rejection front once morest including the gas pipeline “Nord Stream 2” in possible sanctions once morest Russia seems to be crumbling. The foreign policy spokeswoman for the Greens, Ewa Ernst-Dziedzic, described a possible exit from the pipeline, which OMV is also involved in financing, as “one of the most important bargaining chips that Europe has once morest Putin”.
“The member states of the EU must come to an agreement internally and take a consistent and correspondingly sharp line externally with regard to further military aggression by Russia,” demanded Ernst-Dziedzic. The aim is to persuade Russia to seek a peaceful solution to the conflict together with the West and within the existing security structures. “Without Russian involvement there would have been no destabilization in the Donbass and no annexation of Crimea. It is not without reason that Ukraine is demanding a clear commitment from the Union to stand united behind it.”
Sobotka also called for the pipeline to be included
In an interview with the news portal Politico, National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP) had previously called for the pipeline to be included in possible sanctions once morest Russia. The Foreign Ministry, on the other hand, stuck to its previous line on Friday. “Nord Stream 2” is not even in operation and therefore “not really a threatening backdrop” with reference to the identical statements by Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) on Tuesday in ZIB2, among others.
Sobotka’s spokesman tried to emphasize on Friday followingnoon that the President of the National Council would of course not deviate from Austria’s previous line on the issue. “Of course, the decisions on this must be made by the Austrian government representatives and their counterparts in the responsible EU councils,” said the spokesman.
Tanner finds “not really a contradiction”
Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) agreed with the “Presse am Sonntag” on the “clear words” of Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) and Foreign Minister Schallenberg. She saw Sobotka’s statements “not really a contradiction”. “Nord Stream is not even operational yet. But it is clear that we will stand with the Western European states when it comes to sanctions as soon as there is a breach of territorial integrity in Ukraine,” said Tanner.
Politico Sobotka commented on Austria’s behind-the-scenes criticism in Europe in recent days following Nehammer and Schallenberg signaled that Vienna did not support linking Russia’s actions in Ukraine with sanctions once morest the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
NEOS also recently called for the use of the “Nord Stream 2” gas pipeline as a means of exerting pressure on Russia should it attack Ukraine.
Concerns over Europe’s gas supplies have grown in recent weeks amid the worsening situation on the Russia-Ukraine border, where Russian President Vladimir Putin has deployed more than 100,000 troops, leading the West to prelude a possible full-scale war invasion holds.
