According to a recent survey by the Austrian Association for European Policy (ÖGfE), a majority of Austrians favor a unified EU line in support of Ukraine. 29 percent of respondents said sanctions against Russia should be further tightened. 20 percent think the measures that the EU has taken so far are sufficient. About a quarter (26 percent) think the measures are too harsh and another quarter have doubts.
According to the survey, conducted from September 26 to 28, 30 percent of Austrians consider the fact that EU member states unitedly support Ukraine as “very important” and 25 percent as “quite important”. For 13 percent of those surveyed this is “quite important” and for 14 percent “not important at all”. Nearly a fifth did not comment on this (18 percent).
Uniform line of the EU desired
“The number of those who want to maintain or extend sanctions against Russia is greater than those who want to reduce them,” ÖGfE Secretary General Paul Schmidt analyzed the result. “The increasingly critical geopolitical situation, fears of energy shortages and inflation are increasing uncertainty in Austria. However, a majority of the population believes it is important that the EU continues to follow a united line in its support for Ukraine.”
Schmidt believes it is important to “counter the growing concerns with transparent and fact-based communication”. Only a minority in Austria would question the EU’s measures, “many are not yet sure if and when the measures will come into force. However, sanctions will take time and ultimately cause more damage to Russia than to the EU. Russia is already missing key technologies and spare parts, and forecasts for this year are based on a massive decline in Russia’s gross domestic product,” said the secretary-general of the ÖGfE.
Unity as Europe’s most important asset
“Unity is Europe’s main means of stopping the Russian attack,” Schmidt said. At this point, the EU needs to position itself as a community based on solidarity and a counter-model to authoritarianism and repression. Attempts to drive a wedge into European unity only served Moscow’s ambitions.
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.
