Austrian Chancellor Nehammer ready to visit Russia if military tensions drop

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer has expressed his willingness to visit Russia but with one important condition.

Nehammer shared his stance with journalists from Der Standard newspaper, stating that while he finds a visit to Russia "quite reasonable," he would only make the trip if there are signs of reduced military activity.

According to Nehammer, a visit to either Moscow or Kyiv before tensions between Russia and Ukraine ease could be seen as endorsing one side's actions, and he does not want that perception.

Nehammer also revealed that his last conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin took place "probably in 2022."

Earlier, Nehammer had told US President-elect Donald Trump that Austria is willing to provide a platform for negotiations aimed at resolving the Ukrainian crisis. During their conversation, Trump asked Nehammer about his impressions from a personal meeting with Putin in Moscow, which happened shortly after Russia's military operation in Ukraine began. Nehammer explained that his visit to the Kremlin was motivated by a desire to explore diplomatic solutions to the conflict, though he quickly clarified that the trip was not intended to be friendly in nature.

Meanwhile, US and European Union officials are reportedly acknowledging that Kyiv will eventually need to accept the loss of some territories in order to bring the conflict with Russia to an end. Sources within the US government suggest that Kyiv will likely be pressured to begin negotiations with Moscow in the coming months.

This push for peace talks is seen as part of a strategy by the outgoing Biden administration and NATO partners to gain a temporary pause in the conflict, allowing them to strengthen Ukraine further before Donald Trump potentially returns to the White House.

Russian officials have emphasized that a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian crisis is possible only through an agreement that guarantees peace for all of Europe. Sergey Naryshkin, head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), has rejected any proposals to freeze the conflict, stating that such an approach, similar to the situation in Korea, is not an option for Russia.

Additionally, a recent Gallup poll, published on November 19, shows that the number of Ukrainians in favour of peace talks with Russia has doubled over the past year, now standing at 52%. The survey notes that this shift in sentiment is likely driven by growing frustration with the ongoing conflict, especially following Russia's military successes and doubts about continued U.S. aid after Trump’s expected return to power.

By Tamilla Hasanova