Austrian chancellor opposes profits from frozen Russian assets being used to buy weapons for Ukraine

by Important_Essay_3824

46 comments

  1. I am starting to rethink my attitude towards Austria. Neutrality is no argument to block others from doing the right thing. They profit from not pulling out from Russia and strengthen the wrong economy. Maybe someone in the EU should have the balls to just do it as a nation then – saves us from this bullshit.

  2. When missiles and drones will rain on his house and family, he will change his mind in 1 second.

  4. Of course he does! He just follows the rules that Putin imposed on his oblast…

  6. ‘2% of world’s GDP’ vs 60%
    But 60% doesn’t have money to buy RU politicians, when 2% has money to buy 60%’s ones?! how does that work?! explain me

  7. *Keine Überraschung.*

    The Russians knew exactly what they were doing in 1945. They insisted that Austria be thoroughly demilitarized and turned into a neutral country (i.e. it will shut up and close its collective eyes to future Russian depravity and aggression) only because it was the birthplace of Hitler. They even broke the agreement with the Western Allies about Austria by trying to set up a puppet government as they had successfully done in occupied Poland.

    This was different from Germany which did end up militarized in its western and eastern parts because the Russians were ultimately satisfied with their “pound of flesh” via their new vassal state in East Germany. The obvious potential for the Russians to mass [the offensive spearheads of the Red Army](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_of_Soviet_Forces_in_Germany) that deep in the heart of Europe was not lost on anyone.

    [If Austria’s occupation after 1945 had hardened](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied-occupied_Austria), then Austrian neutrality would likely have never happened. Vienna would have then likely been a divided city as Berlin was during the Cold War with “East Austria” and “West Austria” on the lines of divided Germany.

    ​

    >*At the 1943 Moscow Conference, the Soviet Union, United States, and the United Kingdom had jointly decided that the German annexation of Austria would be considered “null and void”. As well, all administrative and legal measures since 1938 would be ignored. The conference declared the intent to create a free and independent Austria after the war, but also stated that Austria had a responsibility for “participation in the war at the side of Hitlerite Germany” which could not be evaded.*
    >
    >*On 29 March 1945, Soviet commander Fyodor Tolbukhin’s troops crossed the former Austrian border at Klostermarienberg in Burgenland. On 3 April, at the beginning of the Vienna Offensive, the Austrian politician Karl Renner, then living in southern Lower Austria, established contact with the Soviets. Joseph Stalin had already established a would-be future Austrian cabinet from the country’s communists in exile, but Tolbukhin’s telegram changed Stalin’s mind in favor of Renner.*
    >
    >*On 20 April 1945, the Soviets, without asking their Western allies, instructed Renner to form a provisional government. Seven days later Renner’s cabinet took office, declared the independence of Austria from Nazi Germany and called for the creation of a democratic state along the lines of the First Austrian Republic. Soviet acceptance of Renner was not an isolated episode; their officers re-established district administrations and appointed local mayors, frequently following the advice of the locals, even before the battle was over.*
    >
    >*Renner and his ministers were guarded and watched by NKVD bodyguards. One-third of State Chancellor Renner’s cabinet, including crucial seats of the Secretary of State of the Interior and the Secretary of State for Education, was staffed by Austrian Communists.The Western allies suspected the establishment of a puppet state and refused to recognize Renner. The British were particularly hostile; even American President Harry Truman, who believed that Renner was a trustworthy politician rather than a token front for the Kremlin, denied him recognition. But Renner had secured inter-party control by designating two Under-Secretaries of State in each of the ministries, appointed by the two parties not designating the Secretary of State.*
    >
    >*As soon as Hitler’s armies were pushed back into Germany, the Red Army and the NKVD began to comb the captured territories. By 23 May, they reported arrests of 268 former Red Army men, 1,208 Wehrmacht men, and 1,655 civilians. In the following weeks the British surrendered over 40,000 Cossacks who had fled to Western Austria from Soviet authorities and certain death. In July and August, the Soviets brought in four regiments of NKVD troops to “mop up” Vienna and seal the Czechoslovak border.*

  8. He certainly wants all the money to be used. Right? Right?

  9. Did Raiffeisen make a call? I’m sure they would rather have the money to play with than it going to ukraine.

  10. Incoming austrians with some mental gymnastics of why this is good and why the decisions are not influenced by Russia…

  13. Austria are security freeloaders, and their politicians are corrupt russian assets.

  14. Of course he does! Their whole country is a russian spy nest…

  15. Sigh It’s the year for the „Nationalratswahlen“ and if he wouldn’t say we are neutral and we shouldn’t buy weapons with that money the FPÖ would call them out for being Hypocrites. Don’t hate that guy (too much) hate the FPÖ for being a shitty populist party

  17. Another Rusky bitch. He can join hands with Orban and Fico, and perform a felatio on Putler.

  18. But that’s not neutrality. They literally side with Kremlin, unfortunately…

  19. Exactly what I expected from the country that doesn’t let others in Schengen.

  21. Austria and Hungary seem to have enough in common. The two names even kinda sound familiar together, hmm… 

  23. Austria, although a wonderful country, is over run by Russian spies and influencers. Their politicians are compromised on the matter Russia and they’re leaking data too.

    How do we help them fight this cold?

  25. Putin’s bitch is at it again.
    Maybe the Vienna new year’s concert should be moved to the Russian calendar.

  26. Austria/Hungary shame of Europe. At least from Serbia I don’t expect much.

  27. I oppose Austria being part of the EU. I would be OK giving Austria to Russia, in exchange for Russia leaving Ukraine.

  30. No wonder Austria also opposes Romania entry into the Schengen area.

  32. Despicable to say the least and they call themselves a free country? Not when you side with the evil Ruzzia. Despicable really…

  33. I hate this so called “neutrality” stance with a passion

  34. Investigation needed.
    Might be compromised by the Russian government.

  35. Of course Austria doesn’t want to do that. Austria loves playing both sides.

  36. I like how this post quotes “For us neutral (countries), it must be ensured that money, for which we give our approval, is not spent on weapons and ammunition,” but is missing the rest of the sentence:

    > Den ursprünglichen Vorschlag, die Gelder für den Wiederaufbau zu verwenden, halte er für vernünftig.

    Which roughly translates to “we liked the idea of using the assets for rebuilding Ukraine”.

    Don’t get me wrong here, I’m neither a fan of Russia or the ÖVP (or, unfortunately, any other political party we have); but the blind Reddit hate against Austria is sometimes a bit ridiculous.

  37. Austria doing Austria things

    (going to bed with Russia)

    As usual.

  38. If/when they have to return this money, they must also return its dividends.

    Otherwise is steal.

  39. At least its clesr where he stands.

    Spoiler: not neutral

  40. It‘s not about using the assets in general.
    It‘s about using 90% of it for weapons.

    Regarding RBI. Yes they are operating in RU but they cannot transfer profits to Austria. Moreover, they would need a confirmation by the Russian government to sell the subsidiaries.
    Concluding, they came up with a complex way to avoid that and do it anyway.

  41. As much of an idiot as he is.

    Hes saying that, as a neutral country, he has issues with the money being used on weapons, but has no issues it being used on re-building the country

  44. He is right, what is happening is literal theft. If EU can simply freeze, steal and then use your properties against your country, simply because of your nationality, what message does that send to the world? It sets a dangerous precedence where countries will not respect EU financial regulations. Do we really want this to happen? Has everyone gone insane?

  45. Well fuck him then. Send him off to Russia and give the assets to Ukraine! Where is the problem? He’s been paid off by kremlin so he’s one of them.

  46. I know I’ll get downvoted for this but sorry but spending Russian frozen assets is inflation wise the same as printing the money. But status wise it damages European trust by third world countries and our prestige for financial security. Don’t get me wrong! I think that Russia is the enemy and if it came down to either hurting Russia or not loosing out on trust in the eyes of “the third world” I would defenetly choose hurting Russia. But because this Frozen money that previously wasn’t in the economy does virtualy the saame as printing the money in this large of a scale it dosn’t make sense to use frozen money and loose on prestige, trust and bring a new type of provocation into the war if you have nothing to gain from it because spending this money again is the same as printing it inflation wise.

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