Austria considers ending neutrality, eyes NATO membership amid Russian concerns

By Melike Pala

BRUSSELS (AA) - Austria is open to reconsidering its long-standing neutrality and engaging in a broader public debate on potential NATO membership, Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said Saturday in an interview with German daily Die Welt.

Meinl-Reisinger emphasized that neutrality alone is no longer sufficient to guarantee Austria’s security in light of Russia’s growing aggression and an increasingly unstable global environment.

"One thing is clear: neutrality alone does not protect us. What protects Austria... is investment in our own defense capabilities, but also in partnerships," she was quoted by the daily as saying.

Although Meinl-Reisinger acknowledged that there is currently no parliamentary or public majority in favor of joining NATO, she expressed a willingness to start a public debate about the country's security and defense policy.

"I am fundamentally very open to a public debate about Austria's security and defense policy future," she said.

"It's not that I wanted to join NATO with flying colors. But we can't sit back and say: If we don't hurt anyone, no one will hurt us. That would be naive. The world has changed," she added.

Austria has upheld a policy of military neutrality since 1955, a stance that remains constitutionally enshrined.