VIENNA, November 15 — Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer stated that Austria will not succumb to any form of 'blackmail' following Russia's decision to cut gas supplies to the country. This announcement comes in the context of Austria's ongoing commitment to support Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion that began over two and a half years ago.
Nehammer emphasized that Austria will not be intimidated, responding to the announcement from Gazprom, the Russian state-controlled gas company, which will halt supplies to Austria starting Saturday. This action follows the Austrian company OMV's recent announcement to recover €230 million in damages related to irregular gas supplies from Gazprom Export.
The Chancellor also criticized Gazprom for repeatedly failing to meet its supply obligations, suggesting that these actions were intended to pressure Austria due to its support for EU sanctions against Russia. He assured that there are sufficient reserves to ensure that no one in Austria will face freezing temperatures this winter.