As a neutral country, Austria must pursue a peace policy. And peace policy is always “Realpolitik”, Kickl campaigned for developing an understanding of Russia’s interests and positions in the Ukraine war. Kickl was convinced that this was the only way to find a way out of the war and into a “prosperous future”.
If you continue to turn the escalation spiral, the danger increases “that the whole of Europe may be drawn into the war”. Kickl therefore spoke out clearly against the delivery of heavy weapons by the West. He accused the government of Austria co-financing the armament via an EU pot, the so-called peace facility. Even if it’s just the fuel for heavy equipment like tanks. Kickl warned of the scenario that a “cornered great power” could eventually use nuclear weapons.
Attitude to sanctions against Russia in the Ukraine war
Kickl: It needs a “face-saving” solution
One could wish for a lot, but who really believes that Moscow will ever give Crimea back, is Kickl’s rhetorical question. The aim is to find a solution that will also allow Russia to get out of the conflict “somewhat face-saving”. The FPÖ club boss pointed out that a few weeks ago Ukraine had signaled its willingness to declare itself neutral. There is now no more talk of that – and the West, too, only speaks of a “decision on the battlefield”.
Kickl sees a one-sidedness of the perspective: not only Russia but also no other country has declared a war of aggression as such in the past. And he referred to the United States in Iraq, for example, but also to Nazi Germany. The attacking country has always presented it as a “war of liberation”. Kickl appealed to the ÖVP-Green coalition to “climb out of the spiral of escalation”.
For Kickl embargo “naive”
In this context, the government criticized Kickl above all for supporting the EU sanctions: the oil embargo was “not thought through to the end”. It is a “naïve approach”, because Russia will sell the oil to other countries, Kickl sees the situation very clearly. The fact that this is not so easy and could be associated with significantly lower income, Kickl did not go into.
Kickl cited Iran as proof that such sanctions didn’t work. And the oil embargo is only “a precursor to gas”. Then you get into a situation where you rightly speak of a “knee shot”: And there “it won’t stay cold”, but the entire European economy would then be catapulted back decades, claimed Kickl. Quite a few experts had recently emphasized that a rapid exit from Russian oil and gas was fundamentally possible, albeit with high costs.
Measures to curb price increases
Blames government for inaction on inflation
In any case, with the current policy, prices would continue to rise, predicted Kickl, who spoke of a “disaster”. Kickl formulated that the government’s first task was to ensure “that its own population does not get under the wheels”. Kickl was not asked about the strategic dilemma that Russia’s success with its war of aggression would have lasting negative consequences for Europe in terms of security and economic policy.
He accused the government of deliberate inaction in the fight against inflation. There are many ways to do something, but the government is just observing instead. Kickl sees the reason that the finance minister is the “biggest beneficiary” and needs the additional income to subsequently finance what Kickl believes to be irresponsible pandemic policies, such as lockdowns.
For “Austria account”
When asked what he was specifically proposing, Kickl said that taxes could simply be axed in certain areas – without saying exactly where. And for the “remaining part” he advocated one-off payments, which should be made immediately – not delayed like the energy voucher that was decided upon. Kickl suggested setting up an “Austria account” for everyone, so that the state should transfer the direct aid.
Kickl: Evidence proves “Schwurblern” right
Kickl again justified his sharp criticism of the government’s anti-pandemic policies. It’s about freedom and health at the same time. And Kickl went so far as to say that after two years of the pandemic, “the evidence” proves that “the swaggerers” are right.
Kickl did not want to condemn events that played down the Nazis at the demos (wearing Jewish stars, slogans such as “Vaccinate sets you free”). He said you have to “talk to these people yourself about their motives”. He called allegations of Nazi trivialization against him “absolute nonsense”.
Kickl sees himself as undisputed
According to Kickl, the fact that the FPÖ is currently well behind the SPÖ in polls does not worry him. He had achieved his first part, bringing the party back to the 20 percent mark after the “Ibiza”-related crash. Now he wants to bring the FPÖ into the race for first place. Within the party, Kickl sees himself as undisputed, media reports to the contrary qualified Kickl as pure wishful thinking.
Before the summer, the internal party compliance rules he announced – actually for the end of 2020 – should be approved by the next committee. According to Kickl, they would have to be decided by a party conference, but he did not give a date for this.