Even after revelations of serious acts of violence in Bucha, Ukraine, Austria rejects an immediate embargo on Russian energy. Austria is 100 percent on the side of Germany on this issue, Finance Minister Magnus Brunner said at a Eurogroup meeting in Luxembourg.
According to Brunner, sanctions only make sense if they do not affect you more than the person who should be affected. You have to keep a cool head, especially during a gas embargo.
“Unrealistic”, “can switch quickly”
According to Brunner, Austria, like Germany, is very dependent on Russian gas. The medium term goal is to become more independent. “But it would be unrealistic to say we can switch overnight.” He suggested expanding the list of sanctioned individuals and organizations rather than considering an immediate energy embargo.
Schallenberg for sanctions, but against gas embargo
Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg took the same line: “We have always said when it comes to sanctions that they should hit those who are targeted and not fall back on us like a boomerang,” the 52-year-old said in the Ö1 “Mittag Journal”. This would be the case for gas supplies.
More than five weeks after the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, hundreds of corpses were discovered in the Kiev suburb of Bucha following the withdrawal of Russian troops.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Sunday called for tougher sanctions against Russia, notably an oil, gas and coal embargo, the exclusion of all Russian banks from the Swift banking communications network and the closure of all ports to Russian ships and goods. . The EU has already imposed strict sanctions on Russia.
Vice-President of the European Commission does not rule out an energy embargo
According to Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, the European Commission does not rule out an embargo on Russian energy imports: “As far as the European Commission is concerned, nothing is off the table.” The Commission is already working on the following sanctions package: “It is clear that we as the European Union must do more to stop this war and these atrocities.”
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.
