Austria rules out supplying Kyiv with lethal weapons

Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner has said that Vienna does not supply Ukraine with lethal weapons and ammunition because of its neutral status.

She emphasised that the country helps Kyiv in other ways, TASS reports.

"We help Ukraine in other ways, we transfer humanitarian and financial aid, we accept refugees. The only thing we don't do is supply lethal weapons and ammunition," Tanner said.

She noted that for Austria, military supplies "are not mandatory."

In addition, Vienna does not transfer ammunition to other European Union (EU) countries, which have depleted their stocks amidst assistance to Kyiv, the defence minister said.