Pity Vienna for having no principles

“No one does victimhood quite like Austria,” said Matthew Karnitschnig. It’s always portrayed itself as an island of neutrality in the heart of Europe, trapped between East and West, at the mercy of forces greater than itself. Remember when it sided with the Nazis, and claimed it had no choice? This time around, Vienna is de facto supporting Russia in the Ukraine war—all the while claiming that its actions have been forced upon it and are making it terribly upset. Unable to kick its addiction to Russian natural gas, Austria has pumped $7.7 billion into the Kremlin’s war machine since last year’s invasion, while Austrian firms continue to do “brisk business” with Russia. Yet last month, when Martin Selmayr, a German who is the EU’s representative to Austria, pointed out that “inconvenient truth,” calling the millions Vienna pays to Russia for gas every month “blood money,” how the Austrians howled! Selmayr’s legitimate critique was “met with a lengthy whinge” about Austria’s economic struggles. Countries far poorer than Austria, such as Poland and Bulgaria, managed to quit Russian oil and sever Russian ties, but Europe is supposed to pity Vienna? Austria can’t claim to be morally aligned with Ukraine as long as it continues profiting from trade with Russia.