Poland becomes a role model, Austria makes a fool of itself
Even in times of war, bravery was not found exclusively on the battlefield. Poland – which is after all located on the vulnerable eastern flank of NATO and the EU – has proved itself in many ways in Putin’s current war against Ukraine: through the generous, expensive and brave acceptance of refugees, with the head of government’s bold solidarity trip to the war zone and now also by the expulsion of 45 Russian diplomats.
Austria is embarrassing itself to the bone
Every government in the West has known for many years that the Russian embassies are not only there for the maintenance of good diplomatic relations or consular requirements. Everyone knows that espionage is a function of Russian “diplomacy”. In view of Putin’s war crimes in neighboring Ukraine, Warsaw has now pulled the line – and that’s a good thing. It would be only fitting that many European states now follow Poland’s example.
As exemplary as Poland acts, Austria is currently embarrassing itself to the core. British President Volodymyr Zelenskyi delivered important, cross-party acclaimed speeches in many time-honored halls of democracy: from the European Parliament to the British House of Commons to the US Congress and Israel’s Knesset. In Austria, however, a video connection is in danger of failing because the FP is unable to break free of its naivety towards the Kremlin chief.
FP leader Herbert Kickl did not fail to reject a speech by Selenskyj in the Austrian National Council, arguing that in view of Austria’s neutrality one did not want to hear a speech by Vladimir Putin. So anyone who puts the perpetrator and the victim on the same level, who wants to treat the war criminal and the legitimate representative of the invaded country equally, has not only misunderstood Austria’s neutrality. He also knows the political and moral challenge of this hour of world history.
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