According to a statement published on social networks, Austrian officials have made “unilateral and outrageous statements” about the situation in Ukraine in the past few days. The Chancellor of an “apparently neutral Austria”, Karl Nehammer, reported on February 27 in a television interview and in a press conference on March 1 that the Russian leadership used “emotional anti-Russian rhetoric” to unilaterally unleash a war, violating international humanitarian law and even accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, reported the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Video: That’s what Schallenberg and Nehammer said at the press conference on March 1st
Nehammer also stated that Austria’s neutrality was “forced on” by Soviet communists after the Second World War. In this context, however, the Foreign Office would like to point out that the state treaty with the Allies in 1955 was only possible because of the liberation by the Red Army. “The liberation of the territory of this country (Austria, note) came at a high price – more than 26,000 soldiers died,” it said.
“Serious doubts about neutrality”
At the same time, Moscow also criticized Foreign Minister Schallenberg, who at the press conference on March 1 had made “absurd accusations” against Russia, including the accusation that he had destroyed the pan-European security architecture.
“We firmly condemn such unfounded statements and assessments,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said. This would raise serious doubts about the quality of Vienna’s “neutrality,” which has been noticeably declining and eroding in recent times. This will be taken into account in the future, the statement concluded.
Source: Nachrichten
