Austria ready to help Ukraine with mine clearance only after war is over

Austrian Defence Minister Claudia Tanner believes that her country, due to its constitutional neutrality, may help Ukraine with mine clearance after the war is over. However, not all Austrian politicians agree with this decision.

Source: Kronen Zeitung, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The Ukrainian side has previously asked Austria to help with the mine clearance of its territories. Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this, among other things, in his address to members of the lower chamber of the Austrian parliament.

Although Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg promised to support Ukraine with mine clearance, it has not yet materialised.

Claudia Tanner, Head of the Austrian Defence Ministry, believes that assistance should be provided only when the war in Ukraine is over, possibly with the Red Cross. "Mine clearance in wartime is against constitutional law," she explains.

Helmut Brandstetter, foreign policy spokesman for the liberal party NEOS, disagrees with Tanner. "That's too late, and we have to help now," he says, stressing that "we are talking about saving lives".

In a commentary to the Kronen Zeitung, Vasyl Khymynets, Ukraine's Ambassador to Vienna, also urges the Austrian authorities not to postpone assistance in mine clearance efforts.

Quote: "There is no threat to neutrality [of Austria – ed.]. We are dealing with purely civilian areas in Ukraine. Moreover, in our country, civil defence, not the military, is responsible for this," the diplomat said.

Details: As Kronen Zeitung states, Austrian lawyers also see no problems with neutrality when it comes to mine clearance in civilian areas.

Background: Earlier, the Cyprus government announced that it would offer mine clearance training to Ukraine as part of humanitarian aid.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!