Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner is using the recent escalation in the Middle East as an opportunity to highlight the rapid expansion of Europe’s air defenses. “We have air defense capabilities, but not to the point where we could defend against 99 percent right now. It would only be a fraction,” Tanner told reporters in Vienna on Monday.
In this context, the ÖVP politician targeted the FPÖ and showed incomprehension about the Blue Party’s criticism of Austria’s participation in the European Sky Shield missile defense system. Referring to FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl, whose name she deliberately withheld, Tanner said: “I don’t understand why (…) anyone on the right can object to the Austrians opposing the threats that protect against the sky. After this weekend and the images we have been seeing from Ukraine for a long time, this is incomprehensible.”
Equal protection for “Amstetten and Zurich”
There is “no doubt that we need to strengthen our air defense capabilities,” the minister emphasized the need to participate in the initiative. This ensures cooperation in the field of procurement and builds a shell over Austria and the participating states “in three layers of protection” so that “the people in Amstetten are just as protected as in Zurich”. The minister mentioned that the advantages of the collaboration are that the system is faster, more efficient, more cost-effective and also interoperable.
Tanner points out that this does not only concern direct attacks, but also incidents such as that with a misplaced drone from Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine that landed in Zagreb, or threats in the field of aviation. The lost radio contact with a Turkish passenger plane that was in Austrian airspace for twelve minutes last week was only one of fifty to sixty incidents per year.
Tanner calls for caution in the Middle East
As Israel’s war cabinet discusses how the country should respond to Iran’s unprecedented attack, Tanner called on both sides to respond cautiously. Especially as a neutral country, one must focus on the suffering of the people, especially the civilian population on both sides.
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.
