Austrian Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner expects large-scale power cuts in the European Union soon, she said in an interview with the German daily newspaper “Welt”.
The likelihood of a blackout in parts of the EU in the near future is very high. “The question is not if he will come, but when he will come,” says Tanner. She stressed that the risk of a widespread blackout had increased significantly as a result of the war in Ukraine.
“For Putin, hacker attacks on Western power supplies are a means of hybrid warfare. We should not pretend that this is just theory. We have to prepare for blackouts in Austria and in Europe.” Tanner stressed that “on the fourth day of a blackout at the latest, a third of the population could no longer take care of itself”.
No imminent end of the war expected
However, the ÖVP politician does not expect Ukraine’s victory to end anytime soon. Russia has huge reserves of equipment and soldiers, she said. “Fortunately, Ukraine has made very important achievements, but it has a huge territory to defend. It is unclear whether there will ever be a victor in this war.”
Tanner called on the international community to focus more on negotiations to resolve the war in Ukraine and to work with Ukraine on this issue. “It is important that there is consultation in the background and that the focus is increasingly on diplomacy.” (sda/apa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
