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A handful of European countries, namely Slovakia and Austria, have been accused of lagging behind larger Western efforts to support Ukraine, while Hungary stands accused of outright obstructing Western support. Some observers have noted that the parties lagging and obstructing are the same nations which once formed the core of the powerful Austro-Hungarian Empire. Hungary’s far right has even directly threatened to join the war on Russia’s side and seize some land from Ukraine — land which once belonged to its conservative imperial monarchy — for itself.
What should Western allies of Ukraine make of these events, and is there a true cause for international alarm? Watch the video above as Straight Arrow News contributor Peter Zeihan tackles those questions and more.
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The following is an excerpt from Peter’s June 11 “Zeihan on Geopolitics” newsletter:
During my European travels, I’ve received a handful of questions regarding the lack of support for Ukraine coming from Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. So, let’s address why these countries are holding out amid the Russian invasion.
These three countries happen to be heavily dependent upon a natural gas pipeline from Russia, so policies tend to avoid interfering with that. Although, with Ukraine abandoning the pipeline lease, the dependence on Russian energy will be ending soon.
There’s some historical factors at play here as well. Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia were once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which held significant power in Europe… and regaining some of their former influence might be in the back of their minds. Hungary takes the title of most controversial, as there are rumors of a secret deal with Russia to help Hungary regain some territory in Ukraine.
