Austria’s Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger has called for an open discussion on the country’s long-standing neutrality, stating that it no longer guarantees national security in the face of growing geopolitical instability and an increasingly aggressive Russia.
In an interview with Die Welt, Meinl-Reisinger emphasized that neutrality alone does not protect Austria and pointed to the importance of strengthening defense capabilities and deepening international partnerships. “Austria is protected by investment in its own defense capacities and in its partnerships,” she said.
The minister’s remarks follow a proposal by Emil Brix, Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, suggesting that Austria consider joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Meinl-Reisinger expressed support for a public debate on the issue, acknowledging that the current political and public majority remains opposed to NATO membership.
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Meinl-Reisinger also addressed Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, stating that Ukraine seeks peace, while Russia continues its campaign of aggression. She added that if Russian leader Vladimir Putin were genuinely interested in peace, he would have engaged in ceasefire negotiations.
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Well for us “choosing sides” is just an exercise for the purpose of discussion. Nobody cares what we as individuals think, and in reality most people will choose the same thing as you: keep my head down and wait for the distant craziness to die down.
But nations have things differently, especially if their geography makes them a target. There are many possible outcomes between world peace and nuclear armageddon. Plus there could be various economic & trade effects they might consider even more relevant than physical safety.
Edit to add: Not to repeat myself, but the probability of “if they start the shit” happening can also be affected by what choice a nation makes. Since the consequences of a war could quickly spiral to world-ending levels, making the choice that provides the greatest deterrence is arguably more important than choosing the “good” side.