State Secretary Elisabeth Zehetner (ÖVP) formally registered Austria’s position in Brussels on Friday: that after Russia’s war ends, Europe must keep all energy-supply options open. At the same time, Austria supports and will implement the planned ban on Russian gas imports, the Energy Secretariat at the Ministry of Economics stated.
“In the quest for peace, the proposed ban on Russian gas imports to Europe is an unequivocal and correct signal against Putin’s war of aggression and for a unified European external and energy policy,” the statement read. “But in the long term the EU should keep options open to reassess after the war, ensuring secure and cost-efficient energy supply.” Europe must diversify its sources and not depend on just a few countries, and must watch developments in the Middle East.
Most EU countries favor permanently ending Russian gas imports; only Hungary and Slovakia have so far supported resuming them post-war.
EU Proposals Forthcoming
This Tuesday afternoon, the European Commission will present its proposals to exit Russian gas. Austria still has many open questions—e.g., whether needed infrastructure will be ready by end-2027; the impact of a ban on prices; traceability of gas origins; and what options remain post-war. A final assessment of the REPowerEU roadmap must await the Commission’s draft law.
Economics Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (ÖVP) likewise wants all options open post-war. “Several countries have expressed concerns for various reasons—Spain, Belgium, France, Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria—because we must avoid dependencies,” he said, stressing unconditional support for Ukraine and that any peace must include the Ukrainian government. Stable energy prices must remain a focus.
Political Reactions
NEOS energy spokesperson Karin Doppelbauer welcomed independence from Russian gas by 2027 and urged continued electrification, calling any return to dependence “no future strategy.”
The Greens, led by Leonore Gewessler, harshly criticized Hattmannsdorfer’s comments as a “dangerous derailment” that embarrasses Austria in the EU and lines him up with Viktor Orbán and Slovakia’s government.
Among Austria’s MEPs, only FPÖ’s Petra Steger backed Zehetner’s stance, suggesting it might incentivize Russia to make peace. NEOS’s Anna Stürgkh and SP’s Andreas Schieder argued Austria must “fully exit Russian gas.” Green MEP Lena Schilling called it a “political scandal” to propose resuming Russian imports, equating it to tolerating “Putin’s violence policy.”
