Almost half of Austrians are of the opinion that the EU should pressure Ukraine into peace negotiations with Russia. This is one of the findings of a survey conducted by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) think tank in twelve EU states on the second anniversary of the outbreak of war. On average, 41 percent of all participants were in favor of the negotiated solution.
In contrast, 23 percent of the 1,111 respondents in Austria share the view that Ukraine must be supported in order to recapture the lost territories.
When it comes to assessing the outcome of the war, 20 percent of compatriots expect a Russian victory. 36 percent expect a negotiated solution, only seven of them expect Ukraine to gain the upper hand militarily. By the way, most respondents in Hungary (31 percent) are convinced that Russia will win.
Image: OÖN graphics
Ukrainian refugees
The war also led to many Ukrainians fleeing to EU countries. The study authors asked whether these refugees are seen “more as a threat” or “more as an opportunity.” In Austria the answer was slightly in favor of the Ukrainian refugees at 33 to 26 percent. On the other hand, the Poles (40 percent) and the Hungarians (37 percent) have a negative view of the Ukrainian refugees. At the other end of the scale were the Swedes, where only ten percent saw a threat and 52 percent saw an opportunity for their country.
The US election in November will also determine how support for Ukraine will continue. If the re-election of Donald Trump as US President leads to the United States significantly reducing its support, only 14 percent of the Austrians surveyed want the EU to try to make up for the shortfall as best as possible. 42 percent even think that the EU should follow the potential US example. Another 17 percent would be in favor of maintaining the current support level.
Russian assets
The Directorate of State Security and Intelligence (DSN) presented an interesting interim assessment of assets frozen in Austria. While there were still two billion euros at the end of 2022, it is currently only 1.5 billion. The National Bank (OeNB) announced that the decline was due to currency fluctuations and exemptions, without providing any more specific information. For example, Russian individuals might be allowed access to part of their assets to “satisfy basic needs” or to pay bills to companies in the EU.
Babler versus Stocker
The death of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny has also triggered a domestic political dispute between red and black. Yesterday, VP General Secretary Christian Stocker accused SP Chairman Andreas Babler of damaging Austria’s reputation with “baseless allegations”.
damage.
In the ORF report, Babler “logically” blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for Navalny’s death. Babler demanded that the Austrian government actually implement the sanctions imposed once morest Russia, citing its dependence on gas. At the moment everything is going as before. Stocker’s counter: In contrast to the SPÖ, the VP position is clear. “We strongly condemn the Russian war of aggression and of course support the EU’s sanctions.”
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