Austria may consider joining NATO: Former defense minister states condition
Illustrative photo: Austria may become part of NATO (facebook.com/innenministerium2)
Neutral Austria may consider the possibility of joining NATO if Slovakia leaves the Alliance, former Austrian Defense Minister Werner Fasslabend said in an interview with Dennik N.
Fasslabend noted that Austria is almost completely surrounded by NATO member countries. In the event of an attack from the east, the country expects that Russia would first have to pass through Slovakia, which is in NATO.
"If Slovakia were to leave NATO, it would worsen the security situation for Austria as well. This would undoubtedly trigger a major discussion about Austria’s NATO membership and a possible accession to NATO," the former minister emphasized.
Fasslabend, who is currently the director of the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy, acknowledges that Austria benefits from its geographic position.
"That is one of the reasons why it is said that Austria currently faces no immediate danger. It is surrounded by NATO member countries and, therefore, is in relative safety," he added.
However, the former defense minister pointed out that the Austrian government has decided to significantly increase defense spending because "it realizes that neutrality is not a shield against any external threat."
Austria’s neutrality
Austria officially declared its neutrality in 1955 by signing the Constitutional Law on Permanent Neutrality. Under this status, the country committed not to join military alliances or host foreign military bases on its territory.
This step was a crucial condition for the withdrawal of Soviet, American, British, and French troops and the restoration of full sovereignty of the republic after World War II.
Notably, last year, an expert working group on security issues in Switzerland proposed that the country’s government reconsider its neutral status. This is connected to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
