Posted on 02/11/2022 9:57:42 PM PST by caww
Austria and the four powers agreed to Austrian neutrality in 1955, which has proved remarkably successful....Could Ukraine follow Austria’s lead to resolve the current crisis? To be sure, the circumstances of post-World War II Austria differ from the current moment...Ukrainian citizens are desperately preparing—for what? No one knows, given the uncertain course of the current crisis.
What it might look like..... No foreign military forces should be allowed on Ukrainian territory, and the military forces of neighboring countries should be deployed away from the borders. Ukraine’s military personnel and weaponry should be limited to that which is necessary to address its domestic security concerns: assist in national emergencies and possibly support UN peace keeping missions.
A neutral Ukraine could join the European Union (like Austria) but not NATO.
Months before the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic declared “its intention of becoming a permanently neutral state that does not participate in military blocs and adheres to three nuclear free principles: to accept, to produce and to purchase no nuclear weapons.”
The declaration made clear that it was “the basis for a new constitution and laws of Ukraine and determines the positions of the Republic for the purpose of international agreements.”
Provisions for Ukrainian neutrality must guarantee its energy sources and fuel transshipment rights.
As Austria drafted its post-war constitution, it secured commitments from the four powers to protect its neutrality. When all signed the Austrian State Treaty, Austria set a path toward stability and peace.
Ukraine should draft a new constitution that proclaims perpetual neutrality and outlines the rights and obligations of all Ukrainian citizens.
(Excerpt) Read more at thebulletin.org ...
Austria for all purposes was part of the west, as was Finland.
The problem is that even among those who speak Russian, the majority want to remain Ukrainian.
And the difference between the two languages is like between Mexican colloquial Spanish and Ecuadorian. They are highly mutually intelligible. Like English and Scots.
In fact the German “dialects” of Swabian and standard German are more distinct than Ukrainian and Russian. Btw, you go to Hamburg and speak Swabian and no one is gonna understand you.
The same for mandarin and Cantonese
There were 0 issues with Putin wanting to invade Ukraine from 2016-2020 and Trump was happy to ACTUALLY support Ukraine.
But for some reason between 2012-2016 and 2021-2022 it’s a major world crisis?
And Hong Kong and Taiwan are not?
Things that make you go hmmm....
So what? It’s still neutral 75+ years later.
Of course it’s possible...but not probable.
Ukraine’s basically ‘neutral’ now. It’s certainly not in NATO...and it’s not Russian. It should just be left to determine it’s internal problems because they’re full of nothing but that.
Putin may be motivated by the need to distract his people from Russia’s economic woes, but keep in mind Biden or his handlers may also be so motivated as well. If Putin does nothing, Biden can claim a victory.
There were not zero issues. Putin’s troops were already in the Donbas before 2016
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.