Russian ambassador to Austria assesses Vienna's ability to become a platform for talks on Ukraine

Russian Ambassador to Vienna Dmitriy Lyubinsky has assessed Austria's possibility to become a platform for negotiations on the situation in Ukraine.

"This is not the first time we hear such statements, but in this connection I can only say that Austria's position on Ukraine, as well as on the latest tragic events in the Middle East, is frankly one-sided, biased, and at all levels the boundless solidarity with one of the parties is emphasized. Thus, Vienna, in my opinion, leaves itself out of the game," the diplomat said.

According to the ambassador, Austria by its actions deprives itself of the role of a mediator, and the policy of active neutrality, characteristic of the past, has been lost, which negates the potential relevance of Vienna as a negotiating platform.

Lubinsky also noted that he was unaware of the Austrian authorities' plans to initiate contacts with the Russian leadership.

"For our part, we are always open to a dialog, but, I emphasize, to a dialog of equal rights, without mentorship and especially without blackmail. We do not see equal openness and readiness on the part of the leadership of the Republic of Austria, in the general chorus of most EU countries," he said.

The diplomat added that he sees no prerequisites for dialog. Russia has no shortage of partners, and Moscow will continue to build "constructive and equal relations" with those countries that are ready for it.

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Earlier, on December 7, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said that Vienna was ready to accept peace talks on Ukraine.

Before that, on December 5, the head of Zelensky's office Andriy Yermak said that he does not look at the negotiations with Russia pessimistically.

On November 26, it was already reported that Austria was ready to become a platform for peace talks on the Ukrainian conflict. In addition, Nehammer during a telephone conversation with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump recalled the country's long tradition of international dialog.

Russian President Vladimir Putin back in June at a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Foreign Ministry named the conditions for negotiations on Ukraine. Thus, the Ukrainian army should leave the territories of the new regions of the Russian Federation and Kiev needs to abandon the idea of integration into NATO.

The last round of negotiations took place in Istanbul on March 29, 2022. They lasted about three hours. Later, Kiev officially refused contacts with Moscow. On October 4 of the same year, the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine on the impossibility of holding talks with Putin was put into effect.

The special operation to protect Donbass, the start of which Putin announced on February 24, 2022, continues. The decision was taken against the background of the aggravated situation in the region.