Austria calls for sustainable peace in Ukraine with strong security guarantees
Photo: Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger (Getty Images)
Austria's Minister of Foreign Affairs Beate Meinl-Reisinger said the country continues to advocate for a peaceful resolution in Ukraine, emphasizing that it must be sustainable and supported by strong security guarantees, Ukrinform reports.
Meinl-Reisinger said Russia's aggressive war has fundamentally changed Europe, noting that Ukraine has endured more than 1,200 days of suffering and death. She emphasized that the time has come to stop the killings and that Russia must genuinely sit at the negotiating table. Peace, she added, must be comprehensive, fair, and lasting, backed by strong security guarantees.
The Austrian foreign minister stressed that there can be no peace in Ukraine without Ukraine, and no security in Europe without Europeans, and confirmed that Austria will continue supporting Ukraine, including Kyiv's aspirations to join the EU.
Highlighting Europe's responsibilities, Meinl-Reisinger pointed out the need for full participation in the EU's foreign, security, and defense policies, as well as standing together in unity and confidence. Europeans are strongest when they speak with one voice, she noted.
Austria contributes by supporting the further development of a common security and defense policy and the creation of a genuine defense union. The minister also emphasized efforts to strengthen public awareness of security and defense, underlining that Europe's security concerns every individual.
Peace talks and security guarantees
Earlier, US President Donald Trump, upon taking office, began efforts to end the war in Ukraine. These efforts included repeated negotiations with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, a personal meeting in Anchorage, and numerous contacts with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In October, after another phone call with the Russian leader, Trump announced a new meeting, which was planned to take place in Budapest. However, he soon canceled it. Media reports indicated that Russia had not changed its demands for ending the war, which led to postponing the meeting indefinitely.
It is noted that as part of ongoing negotiations, Ukraine and its European partners are developing postwar security guarantees. Zelenskyy said a few weeks ago that these guarantees are nearly ready on paper, but added that US guarantees are also required. He later stated that Kyiv and Washington are already discussing such guarantees and moving toward an agreement.
