Austria signals openness to NATO membership

Caliber ^ | 7/27/2025 | Sabina Mammadli

[marcusmaximus]

Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger has indicated that the country is open to discussing possible NATO membership in response to growing international instability and Russia’s increasingly aggressive foreign policy.

In an interview with Die Welt, Meinl-Reisinger said that Austria cannot rely solely on its traditional neutrality for protection. She emphasised that in today’s uncertain global security environment, the country’s safety depends on both investments in national defense and strong international partnerships, Caliber.Az reports.

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TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: austria; deranschluss; mausgasms; nato; natoaggression; putin; russia; spto; theanschluss; warmongeringnato

[Tom Tetroxide]

[DIRTYSECRET]

Interesting. Independent because they never chose sides-right? Now they know Vlad’s successors will all be the same.

Russians and Krauts are all the same. It’s no wonder they hate each other. They hate themselves.

[lee martell]

I would have thought Austria already was a member of NATO, but then, that country’s international influence has become muted, compared to during the beginning of the 20th century.

[Reily]

Basically after a 80 year hiatus European history reasserts itself!

[butlerweave]

Why not take it building and all

[Fiji Hill]

Austria’s neutrality was the price it had to pay for getting the Russians to leave in 1955. But the result, a neutral Austria bordering a neutral Switzerland, split NATO in two from the Iron Curtain to the French border. The US military bases near the Austrian border at Bad Tölz, Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Berchtesgaden were probably established so that US forces could grab the Austrian panhandle and the Brenner Pass should the Cold War turn hot.

[Redmen4ever]

As of 2023, Austria spent 1% of GDP on defense. Sorry, 2% is the minimum. Countries that have been free-riding should budget something above that to make up their past deficiency.

[gloryblaze]

As of 2023, Austria spent 1% of GDP on defense. Sorry, 2% is the minimum....

I'm sure this is clear to them.

Sounds to me like membership is a good move all around.

[fhillary2]

LOL!

N.S.O.T.W!

[Tom Tetroxide]

NSOTW means?

[Semper Vigilantis]

I dunno, but I do know that NATO should be renamed USDEU

U S Defending E U

US OUT of NATO

[Captain Walker]

Austria’s neutrality was the price it had to pay for getting the Russians to leave in 1955.

Austria was the only country that was at least partly under the Iron Curtain where, prior to the collapse of the Iron Curtain, Soviet troops left.

Germany faced a similar decisionm. Rather than commit to neutrality and free up East Germany, Germany opted to align itself with the US (and throw its East German citizens under the bus).