Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) can meet the concerns of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to some extent. “I can certainly imagine our military supporting Ukraine in demining, but only after the end of the war would anything else be against the constitution,” Tanner said Thursday. Zelenskyj had previously stated that his country needed help with defense against drones and demining.
During the visit of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen in Kiev on Wednesday, Selenskyj thanked Austria for its humanitarian aid.
In addition, Austria could also get involved in mine clearance and drone defense, Selenskyj said. In his country, people are still killed when mines laid by the Russians explode.
EU mission in Bosnia as a role model?
According to Tanner, the EU mission EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina could serve as a model for mine clearance. “Here too, years after the war, our soldiers still support the country in demining – which is still struggling with old war relics.”
“As far as the defense against drones is concerned, we cannot provide support here, and the Federal President has already emphasized this, if only for reasons of neutrality,” Tanner added.
In addition, the army in this area “also had to be brought into shape”. This is exactly what is being done with the increased defense budget.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
