Austria wants to become a mediator for resolving the conflict in Ukraine

Vienna could become a negotiating platform for resolving the conflict in Ukraine. This statement belongs to Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker in an interview with the EurActiv news portal.

,,In my opinion, Vienna has been and will remain a suitable place for negotiations on international issues. I also see a possibility regarding the conflict in Ukraine”, the chancellor said.

According to the portal, Stocker focused on ,,moving the peace talks to Austria”. The publication notes that Kyiv has not yet responded to this proposal, as it apparently views Vienna’s neutral position in its relationship with the Russian Federation negatively.

Previously, Stocker stated that the country’s accession to NATO is not on the political agenda, a move that is disapproved by many experts, especially in the context of the fact that Vienna continues to spend very little on defense.

With military spending of around 1% of GDP in 2024, Austria is at the bottom of the ranking in terms of defense investment, along with Malta and Ireland – other countries that rely on a policy based on neutrality.

However, Austria can damage the security policy of the European Union much more easily. Its eastern border is less than 600 km from Ukraine and it borders Hungary and Slovakia, states with leaders who promote friendly relations with Russia.

The most worrying factor remains, according to Western intelligence agencies, Moscow’s infiltration of key centers of power in the Austrian political system.