The West Destroyed Ukraine in Order to Save It

On the 71st Anniversary of Austrian neutrality, reflections on how the Russo-Ukrainian War could have been avoided if NATO had accepted Putin’s Dec. 15, 2021 proposal for Ukrainian neutrality.​

The Four Power occupation began in the spring of 1945 when the Soviet army entered Austria from the east and the American army entered from the west and converged on the capital of Vienna. By then it was already evident that as soon as Nazi Germany was defeated, the wartime alliance of the United States and Soviet Union would give way to a fierce rivalry over the fate of Europe. Austria lay in the middle of this conflict. To prevent each other from gaining the upper hand, the US military (along with those of Britain and France) occupied parts of Austria while the Soviet military occupied others. By 1947, US Department of Defense became convinced that withdrawing Western troops would leave the country open to complete Soviet occupation.

After Stalin died in 1953, Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov told Austrian Chancellor Julius Raab that he was willing to entertain Austrian independence. In April 1955, Raab travelled to Moscow to discuss the matter. Despite his reputation for icy formality, Molotov quickly warmed up to Raab. Ten years after their armies had engaged in the most brutal warfare in history, the two men became conspicuously amiable over a state dinner of conviviality and frequent toasts, and they ironed out the terms of an Austrian neutrality deal. Raab agreed to pay for the “German assets” and oil fields left by the Soviets. Molotov also promised the release and repatriation of Austrian POWs still languishing in Russia.

The Western powers were amazed by the deal, with British diplomat, Geoffrey Wallinger reporting to London that it “was far too good to be true.” Nevertheless, it proceeded as planned and was signed by the representatives of all Four Occupying Powers on May 15, 1955, and came into force on July 27. By October 25, all occupying soldiers had withdrawn from the country, and the next day, Austria’s parliament enacted a Declaration of Neutrality that Austria would never join a military alliance such as NATO or the Warsaw Pact or allow foreign troops to be based in the country. Russia and the United States have honored Austrian neutrality ever since. Today (October 26, 2026) is the seventy-first anniversary of the Austrian Declaration of Neutrality and Day of National Celebration.

Upon his return from Moscow, Chancellor Raab addressed a crowd assembled outside the chancery. His voice breaking with emotion, he said, “I must thank the Lord God that we have been able to experience this hour for Austria.” And indeed, Austrian neutrality has been a great blessing for the nation and its people, and it enabled Vienna to become one of the most open, laid-back, and cosmopolitan capitals in Europe. I believe a similar neutrality arrangement for Ukraine would have served its people equally well.

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In the autumn of 2021, Russia actually sent a draft treaty that they wanted NATO to sign to promise no more NATO enlargement. That was what they sent us, and that was a precondition for not invading Ukraine. Of course we didn’t sign that.https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/the-west-destroyed-ukraine-in-order#_edn1

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