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online_and_high t1_jeaox78 wrote

There are a number of parts in this that i find distressful.

Neutrality. What does that mean??? I understand you won't take sides in a conflict situation so does that mean you have no opinion? no empathy? Where/how is neutrality enforced? do you declare you are neutral and then what??? putin would say .."guys, i think they a neutral country, we cant have any special operation.."

also if you are "neutral" shouldn't you listen more??? understand/determine motivation??? i think people countries that blanket themselves under "neutrality" are not to be trusted nor played with.

what does pro-russian mean? does it mean eliminating freedom of speech? eliminating choosing who leads you?

i think we need more politicians, and people, who would be like Marcus Aurelius.

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serpentine91 t1_jeckt5n wrote

>Neutrality. What does that mean?

Austrian neutrality is defined in the constitution as a) not joining any military alliances and b) not allowing other countries to set up military bases on Austrian soil. That does not mean that the Austrian state lacks empathy as evidenced by Zelenskyi's speech we provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine (sending emergency vehicles, treating injured Ukrainians in our hospitals, etc.) - we also joined the EU-sanctions against Russia and I think we allowed Nato weapon deliveries to go through our airspace.

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Technically the Austrian armed forces are supposed to defend our neutrality but, while a stealthily inserted platoon of conscripts could destroy all of Russias alcohol supplies within a couple hours, they are decidedly less effective at fighting a possible invasion. Fortunately, we're surrounded by Nato countries so for Russia to invade they would have to trigger Nato article 5 first. Unlikely to happen, even more unlikely that Russia would make it to us under those circumstances. This wasn't always the case since the iron curtain was directly at our border for a long time in the past. Then as now the backup plans were: A) attract a lot of international organisations to Vienna (such as the UN office and the IAEA) in hopes that an invasion would cause international uproar and B) if the worst case happens and Russia invades we fire some obligatory shots in the direction of the border and wait for Nato to bail us out because the alternative is Germany's south and Italy's north flank being threathened.

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Datapunkt t1_jech56o wrote

Watch the video. Austria is in full support with Ukraine, the neutrality only applies to military alliances and actions.

What do you mean by neutral countries should listen more? They are listening but they cannot do much if Russia is not willing to negotiate or make peace.

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