Austria is open to internet hosting Ukraine peace talks, Austrian Ambassador to Ukraine Arad Benko mentioned in an interview with RBC-Ukraine on Feb. 21.
With U.S.-led peace talks to cease Russia's warfare in opposition to Ukraine looming, varied international locations have put themselves ahead as potential hosts for negotiations.
"(Austrian) Chancellor (Karl) Nehammer emphasised that because the capital of a impartial nation, Vienna is all the time able to host future peace talks," Benko mentioned in an interview with RBC-Ukraine on Feb. 21.
Austria has a historical past of internet hosting opposing sides for talks. The nation hosted leaders of the U.S. and Soviet Union on the peak of the Chilly Conflict, Benko mentioned.
"Austria, as a impartial nation, has provided its good companies as a bunch of negotiations between events concerned. It's essential to level out that Austria can be a seat of 52 worldwide organizations together with 18 UN organizations," he mentioned.
Austria, a completely impartial nation below its structure, hosts varied worldwide companies, together with the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company (IAEA) and the Group for Safety and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
Ukraine and the EU should be concerned within the peace talks alongside Russia and the U.S., Benko added, echoing sentiment in Europe that the U.S. mustn’t exclude Europe and Ukraine from peace talks.
Europe should take part in potential peace talks "not solely as a result of we’re the most important donors however as a result of Ukraine is a European nation preventing for our values and freedom," Benko mentioned.
Nehammer beforehand proposed Vienna as a website of talks between Kyiv and Moscow in September 2024. The Austrian chancellor reiterated the offer in a gathering with President Volodymyr Zelensky in December.
Nehammer additionally grew to become the primary EU chief to go to Russian President Vladimir Putin following the full-scale invasion in February 2022. He visited Moscow in April 2022, claiming it was his responsibility to open "humanitarian corridors" as a step in the direction of ending the warfare.
Different international locations which have volunteered to host future peace talks embody Turkey, China, and Saudi Arabia.
U.S. and Russian officers met in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18 for preliminary talks with out the participation of Ukraine or Europe. Kyiv continues to insist that no talks about ending Russia's all-out warfare needs to be held with out Ukraine.
The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov