Austria confirms it has refused US requests for military overflights since the Middle East conflict began, upholding its long-standing neutrality stance.

VIENNA: Austria has refused multiple requests from the United States for military overflights of its territory since the start of the Middle East conflict. A defence ministry spokesman confirmed the refusals are consistent with the country’s policy of neutrality.

Colonel Michael Bauer stated that such requests are refused from the outset when they involve a country at war. “There have indeed been requests and they were refused from the outset,” he told AFP.

Austria, which has been a neutral country since 1955, is largely surrounded by NATO members. Neutral Switzerland lies to its west.

Switzerland similarly refused the use of its airspace in mid-March, also invoking its neutrality. This places both Alpine nations in a similar diplomatic position regarding the conflict.

US President Donald Trump has previously criticised European NATO members like France and Spain for refusing airspace access for operations against Iran. The latest refusals by neutral states add another layer to the complex logistics of military movements in Europe.

 The Sun Malaysia