Not all EU countries want to join sanctions against Russia — Austria's former minister

According to Karin Kneissl, Vienna makes sanctions decisions in accordance with the EU's shared foreign and defense policy

Austria continues to support all anti-Russian sanctions because of the situation in Ukraine, but not all nations want to participate in restrictions, Austria's former Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl said in an interview with TASS.

She called attention to the fact that several EU nations, such as Hungary, "bargained" exemption for themselves in the sixth package of sanctions against Russia, which impacts energy supplies. "It is evident that not everyone wishes to take part in all sanctions. However, Austria so far continues joining all restrictions," Kneissl added.

According to her, Vienna makes sanctions decisions in accordance with the EU's shared foreign and defense policy. "We already went through this in 2014, as did other countries, with sanctions on China and, of course, over a thousand penalties against Russia. All of these penalties are unprecedented in history, not only in Europe," the former minister added.