Austrian Foreign Minister Spoke for a “Clear Line” in Relation to the Belarusian Authorities

Vienna stands for dialogue with Belarusians, not official Minsk.

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg believes that the European Union should define clear boundaries in relation to the Belarusian authorities, including in the context of a dialogue with Russia.

“In the issue of Belarus, I think we need a clear line in relation to the current authorities, as well as a clear perspective for the population of Belarus. If democracy finally succeeds in the future, there will be opportunities for future cooperation with the European Union,” Schallenberg said ahead of the meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers Council in Brussels.

He called on the EU to work primarily with the Belarusian civil society. Schallenberg also spoke in favor of a unified EU position on Russia, calling for a clear message to be sent to Moscow. In this case, Ukraine and Belarus should be taken into account.