Austrian chancellor proposes Vienna for Ukraine-Russia peace talks

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer has proposed Vienna as a neutral venue for Ukraine-Russia peace talks during a phone conversation with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, PULS 24 reported.

Nehammer said the two leaders quickly transitioned to discussing the Russo-Ukrainian war during their November 25 call.

“Trump asked for my assessment because I was one of the few people who met with both [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy. He also shared his view with me. And with that, we quickly started talking about how important peace is and how important it is that the war stops,” Nehammer said.

The Austrian leader offered his country as a “good place for negotiations” due to its neutral status, adding that Trump was “well-informed” about Austria’s stance.

Nehammer noted Trump’s emotional commitment to ending the conflict. “He’s highly motivated to silence the guns. I believe he has the ability to create new momentum,” he said.

Ukraine aims to solidify a favorable position on the battlefield in the coming months to strengthen its leverage in potential negotiations, Reuters wrote on November 11.

On November 15, Trump called for an end to hostilities, pledging to work toward resolving the conflict.

On November 20, Reuters reported that Putin was open to discussions with Trump but remained unwilling to make concessions.