Austria will support the EU sanctions package against Russia, removing obstacles for the scheduled vote.

Austria has announced that it will support the latest package of European Union sanctions against Russia, abandoning its previous opposition. This decision removes an important obstacle ahead of the vote scheduled for the beginning of next week, when the foreign ministers of EU member states will meet in Luxembourg to finalize the 19th sanctions package in response to the invasion of Ukraine. Austria had previously requested the unblocking of frozen Russian assets to compensate for the losses suffered by Raiffeisen Bank International, but now the Foreign Ministry in Vienna has stated that it supports maintaining pressure on Russia. The new sanctions package includes measures in the energy sector, such as the ban on the import of liquefied natural gas from Russia starting January 1, 2027. Slovakia has expressed reservations about some provisions, and the European Commission will address its concerns.