Austria’s ex-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) pleads for de-escalation and negotiations in the Ukraine conflict. “Anyone who is pushing for a military solution here must be aware that Russia has nuclear weapons,” he said at the launch of his book Let’s Talk About Politics. Russian President Vladimir Putin has already crossed many red lines “that hardly anyone thought they were ready to cross,” he warned. The war is causing “infinite suffering in Ukraine”, but is “also a real threat beyond that,” said Kurz in an interview with the APA. “And if I add that up, then it’s a starting point where I think you should try everything – as difficult as it is – to de-escalate. To return to the negotiating table and try to prevent something worse from happening,” said the former ÖVP chairman.
The ex-politician, who also worked as foreign minister, recalled that he often met Putin. Now that the war has broken out, one has to say, unfortunately, that he saw Putin as someone “who is ready to cross all red lines, who – I think – is also unscrupulous. In that respect, I’m quite concerned that quite simply defeat is not an option for him.”
“And so we all wish that Ukraine can defend itself, be successful, ideally be victorious. But at the same time, I think we all secretly know that if someone doesn’t accept defeat and has nuclear weapons, that’s the worst Case can be a dramatic starting point.”
Concern that “red lines could be crossed”
He is therefore concerned that “further red lines could be crossed here and that unfortunately one has to say: With Vladimir Putin, one cannot rule out that nuclear weapons could ultimately be used.”
Kurz also sees the economic situation in Europe as “anything but easy”. Europe’s industry – and thus also those in Austria and Germany – have long lived from the large export markets such as China – “that is becoming increasingly uncertain”. Austrian and German industry have always benefited from relatively low energy prices – and now the energy costs are “enormous”.
problems in the labor market
Kurz also sees problems on the labor market due to the shortage of workers. There is immigration, “but that is often not the most qualified immigration.” In addition, the population is getting older. “The initial situation is not easy for Europe.”
Kurz reaffirmed his critical attitude towards uncontrolled migration, which was also emphasized in the book. “The less pressure there is from the EU to stop illegal migration and to fight the people smugglers, the less focus there is on that, the more the number of illegal migrants rose again.” He considers this to be “highly problematic”. “I believe that Europe must control immigration and attract the best minds in order to remain internationally competitive.”
Kurz emphasized that he remains an optimist, “but if no answers can be found to these questions, if one or the other thing doesn’t change again, then prosperity from Europe will shift more to other parts of the world. And that’s all different as good for Europe and all who live here”.
Looking back at the Corona policy under his chancellorship, he reiterated the fundamentally optimistic attitude he expressed in the book. In retrospect, he would have opted for personal responsibility even earlier – not only for economic reasons, but because the measures represent “a massive encroachment on fundamental rights and freedoms”.
According to the ex-Chancellor, the book did not come about of his own accord. Even before Bischofberger, he was approached by a number of people who asked him whether, from his point of view, he wanted to discuss the time in the federal government. He then agreed to Bischofberger’s and the publisher’s idea “to produce a book in a few discussions”.
He no longer mourns the loss of politics: After leaving the company at the end of last year, he started something new very quickly. “I’m very grateful that it turned out well.” Kurz was reluctant to talk to the APA about the ÖVP’s current poor performance – he pointed out that the election victories in 2017 and 2019 were “not a matter of course”, but hard work. “In this respect, I believe that the ÖVP will continue to have every opportunity to win elections in the future.”
Source: Nachrichten
