Due to the new wave of attacks by the Russian army on Ukrainian infrastructure, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) currently sees little chance of peace negotiations between the two countries. Nevertheless, he believes that excluding Russia from international meetings is wrong. “For the time after the war, Europe needs a Russia with which to engage in dialogue in the interest of common security,” Schallenberg stressed Tuesday in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council.
At the meeting, Schallenberg admitted that the war, as things stand, “is likely to drag on until 2023”. Therefore, every effort should be made to prevent “human suffering”, in addition to aid deliveries to Ukraine, also through attempts to enter into talks with Russia, although there is no consensus on this within the EU.
He believes that Russia’s invitation to the Council of Ministers of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) last week in Lodz, Poland, was a mistake.
Austria joins war crimes investigation
Nevertheless, according to Schallenberg, Austria is heavily involved in solving war crimes.
Rendi-Wagner wants Ukrainians „spare a terrible winter”
Commission chair and SPÖ leader of the federal party Pamela Rendi-Wagner called for increased efforts for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, “if only to spare the Ukrainian people a terrible winter” without energy supply.
FPÖ underlines its no to sanctions against Russia
On the part of the FPÖ, Axel Kassegger pleaded for a dialogue with Moscow, with the PVV emphasizing that sanctions or extension thereof were not a basis. While the NEOS favored peace talks in principle, their foreign policy spokesman Helmut Brandstätter said that at this point Russia would only use the lay-down of arms for re-arming.
Russian media spread statements such as “Ukraine must be wiped out” and members of the Russian regime would only use international appearances for their own propaganda, Brandstetter noted, who therefore called for a security guarantee for Ukraine as a basis for discussion.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
