Austria ready to host peace talks but says settlement must not be imposed on Ukraine

The Austrian Foreign Ministry told this to an Ukrinform correspondent, commenting on the idea of holding in Vienna peace negotiations to end Russia's war against Ukraine.

According to the ministry, like any war, this one will eventually have to end at the negotiating table. However, it emphasized that Austria considered it unacceptable for any peace to be forced upon Ukraine, insisting that a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace based on international law was necessary.

The ministry noted that Austria, which hosts a number of international organizations, including the OSCE, had long-standing experience in facilitating dialogue and organizing international meetings. It added that Austria was ready to act as a venue and mediator for possible peace negotiations if all parties involved agreed.

The ministry also recalled that Austria is a state party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has issued an arrest warrant for Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. It explained that consultations with the ICC could be held to ensure Putin's participation in potential talks in Vienna, given existing agreements with international organizations headquartered there.

The ministry clarified that all state parties, including Austria, are obliged to comply with ICC arrest warrants. At the same time, it said there was a possibility of engaging with the ICC under the Vienna agreements to enable Putin's attendance at negotiations if necessary.

The Foreign Ministry, however, declined to say whether Austria had received any response from Russia regarding the idea of hosting peace talks in Vienna.

Earlier, Austrian Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker proposed Vienna as a possible venue for negotiations aimed at resolving Russia's war against Ukraine.

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